Theories of Professional Learning: A Critical Guide for Teacher Educators - Softcover

Philpott, Carey

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1909682330 ISBN 13: 9781909682337

Publisher: Routledge, 2014

Synopsis

An essential guide to a number of important theories of professional learning, of particular value both to those taking on new responsibilities in relation to initial teacher education (ITE) and those interested in developing new ways of working in partnership. Each chapter provides a concise and critical overview of a key theory and then considers how it might impact on the processes and organisation of teacher education, drawing on key pieces of literature throughout. The book responds to the growth of interest and research in professional and work-based learning including ideas such as communities of practice, activity theory and socio-cultural theory alongside already established models such as those of Schön, Eraut and Shulman. In addition changing models of teacher education mean there are new ways of understanding professional learning as practices, roles and identities are re-established.

About this title

About the Author

Carey Philpott was Professor of Teacher Education at Leeds Beckett University. Before this he worked at Oxford Brookes University, the University of Cumbria and the University of Strathclyde. Before working in Teacher Education, Carey was an English and Drama Teacher in secondary schools in Glasgow and London and a mentor for student teachers on PGCE courses. His research interests included teachers’ collaborative professional development, teachers as researchers, evidence-based teaching and the relationship between teachers’ learning and learning in the health professions.

Ian Menter (AcSS) is Professor of Teacher Education and Director of Professional Programmes in the Department of Education at the University of Oxford. He previously worked at the Universities of Glasgow, the West of Scotland, London Metropolitan, the West of England and Gloucestershire. Before that he was a primary school teacher in Bristol, England. His most recent publications include A Literature Review on Teacher Education for the 21st Century (Scottish Government) and A Guide to Practitioner Research in Education (Sage). His work has also been published in many academic journals.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Theories of Professional Learning

A Critical Guide for Teacher Educators

By Carey Philpott, Ian Menter

Critical Publishing Ltd

Copyright © 2014 Carey Philpott
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-909682-33-7

Contents

Acknowledgements, 
Foreword by Ian Menter, 
About the series editor and author, 
Chapter 1 Introduction, 
Chapter 2 Experiential learning and the reflective practitioner: Kolb, Argyris and Schön, 
Chapter 3 Pedagogical content knowledge, 
Chapter 4 Professional knowledge and competence: the work of Michael Eraut, 
Chapter 5 Communities of practice: Lave and Wenger, 
Chapter 6 Cultural Historical Activity Theory, 
Chapter 7 Clinical practice models, 
Chapter 8 Craft knowledge and apprenticeship models of learning, 
Chapter 9 Conclusion, 
References, 
Index, 

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

CRITICAL ISSUES

• What do we want a theory of professional learning to do for us?

• What are some of the key differences between professional learning theories?

Introduction

Theories of professional learning are like lenses that we hope will help us be more effective in supporting the professional learning of our students. We hope that a professional learning theory will give us a more detailed or insightful view of how learning takes place. Part of this more insightful view is identifying what it is that needs to be learned when developing professional abilities. This is because what we need to learn will determine the most effective ways of learning.

In this book, my intention is to set out a critical overview of some different theories of professional learning that have had some influence on Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in recent years. This critical overview is intended as an introduction to the key points of the theories and to some of the main shortcomings, objections to, and developments of each. Each chapter includes suggestions for further reading so that the ideas and arguments can be explored in more detail.

Description or a prescription?

It is worth noting at this stage that providing an insightful account of how professional learning takes place does not lead automatically to providing a prescription for designing professional learning experiences and contexts. Perhaps the most obvious example of this is communities of practice (Chapter 5). In early formulations of communities of practice it seems clear that we are being offered a theory of how professional learning takes place but not a recipe for creating professional learning opportunities or environments. This is because communities of practice were seen as a naturally developing phenomenon rather than one that could be deliberately manufactured.

This can be seen as the first key difference in professional learning theories: are they descriptions, prescriptions, or descriptions that give rise to prescriptions? We might assume that prescriptions are more useful than descriptions, given what we want a theory for, but both have their limitations. Prescriptions, by their very nature, need to simplify what they represent. If they do not they might not be useful. However, this simplification can under-represent what might be important aspects or variables in real life situations. Descriptions may be better able to represent these, and we can reflect ourselves on how we use these descriptions to inform what we do.

Learning theories: a (very) brief history

For learning theories in general, rather than professional learning theories in particula

Edition details

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1909682330
• ISBN 13: 9781909682337
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 96