ERIC Number: EJ1333238
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Nov
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0256-0100
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Available Date: N/A
Addressing a Theory-Practice Gap in Teacher Education by Using a Participatory Action Learning and Action Research (PALAR) Approach
South African Journal of Education, v41 n4 Article 1942 Nov 2021
In this article we combine Boyer's 4 domains of scholarship with Hutchings' 4 types of questions and Ghaye, Melander-Wikman, Kisare, Chambers, Bergmark, Kostenius and Lillyman's (2008) reflective learning framework using a Participatory Action Learning and Action Research (PALAR) method to explore the perceived gap in in-service teachers' experience in classroom contexts. Qualitative data were collected in an action learning set (ALS) consisting of distance learning in-service teachers enrolled in a learning support programme through purposeful discussions, reflective diaries, observations, and open-ended reflective learning questionnaires. In the research reported on here we found that collaborative partnerships initiated scholarly thoughts and actions when sharing and evaluating insights during the research process, which resulted in building on learning that has been gained together. The findings point to the need for collaboration between lecturers and students to develop an awareness to not only take knowledge "from" one another to create theories "about" how they should deal with problems but rather to "jointly" become reflective collaborative scholars to address the theory-practice gap.
Descriptors: Theory Practice Relationship, Teacher Education, Participatory Research, Action Research, Scholarship, Reflection, Teacher Student Relationship, Cooperation, Problem Solving, Research Methodology, Higher Education, Diaries, Foreign Countries, Participant Observation, College Faculty, Teacher Role
Education Association of South Africa. University of Pretoria, Centre for the Study of Resilience, Level 3, Groenkloof Student Centre, Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, George Storrar Road and Lleyds Street, Pretoria 0001, South Africa. Web site: http://www.sajournalofeducation.co.za/index.php/saje/index
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
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Language: English
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Identifiers - Location: South Africa
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