Describes retraining of Russian teachers in Vygotskian perspectives as an educational innovation. Contextualizes movement toward Vygotsky in Russian education and begins assessing its implications for the Western context. Implications include rethinking the teacher's role in the classroom as socially constituted and reconsidering the nature of…

Uses writings of Paulo Freire to discuss situation of British primary teachers required to teach science without specialized training. Cites interviews with teachers that point to cultural clashes between National Curriculum physics and primary practice. Conflicts exist between facilitating child-centered discovery learning and teaching, and…