Practicalising theoretical knowledge in student teachers' professional learning in initial teacher education

• Published in: Teaching and teacher education 2012-08, Vol.28 (6), p.781-790
• Main Authors: Cheng, May M.H., Tang, Sylvia Y.F., Cheng, Annie Y.N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Case Studies; Classification; Extremes; Field Experience Programs; Initial teacher education; Learning; Learning Processes; Learning Strategies; Longitudinal Studies; Preservice Teacher Education; Professional knowledge; Professional learning; Professional training; Schemas; Student Development; Student Teachers; Teacher Education Curriculum; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Theory Practice Relationship
• ISSN: 0742-051X; 1879-2480
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tate.2012.02.008

This paper reports the findings collected from a four year longitudinal study aiming to investigate the professional learning of student-teachers in Bachelor of Education programmes. Four case studies which suggest a typology of ways of practicalising theoretical knowledge with one extreme as the testing out of teaching approaches mainly to find out their practicality in the school context to the other extreme whereby the student-teacher sought to work out a schema or personal theory were identified. Influences from the campus-based and the field-based components of the teacher education programme are drawn. The paper ends with implications for initial teacher education. ► The four approaches are: Procedural, Reflective-adaptive and Reflective-theorising. ► The cases suggest a typology of ways of practicalising theoretical knowledge. ► One extreme is testing out of teaching approaches to find out their practicality. ► The other extreme is to work out a schema or personal theory. ► Influences from campus-based and school-based contexts are identified.