The question what contribution action research can make to the professional development of teachers is not easy to answer. It depends firstly on the context in which action research takes shape and secondly on the conceptual principles on which educators and teachers base their view of what good action research is. In order to be able to use…

A dominant theme arising out of a research project concerned with elucidating theory-practice relations in prospective and practicing teachers is the role and place of fear in what it means to teach and to learn. The text for this paper grew out of extended conversations the researcher had with 12 of these participants forming a self-study…

The purpose of this paper is two fold: first, to tease out the meaning inherent in the correlativity of the question and answer process and second, to suggest a philosophical answer to the question "What does it mean to question?" in the context of teacher education. To that end, we want to claim that R.G. Collingwood's "Logic of Question and…

Key characteristics of an efficient and effective English language teacher are fundamental pedagogical knowledge and understanding, awareness of meaningful classroom practices, linguistic capabilities, and positive attitudes and skills. Nurturing these traits among preservice teachers is difficult, especially when preservice teachers are working…

The idea of active learning was first introduced to kindergarten teachers in Hong Kong in 1981 when they received their in-service teacher education. In a two-year, school-based project, 60 teachers in five schools were asked to create collaborative videos about models of good practices after sharing "effective" teaching episodes with…

Reflection is a commonly accepted practice and considered advantageous in teacher education programs. Teachers are encouraged to think critically about their beliefs and teaching styles with the intended goal of fostering greater professional and personal development. Nonetheless, researchers have noted the challenges inherent in encouraging…

A national literacy professional development project reduced the achievement gap for students experiencing difficulties in reading or writing in 91 of New Zealand's schools. It was based on two premises: coherence within and between the multiple levels of the schooling and educational administration systems, and a focus on evidence-informed…

The use of belief statements, or leadership platforms, may have uses and advantages as a pedagogical strategy beyond those cited in the literature. Some of the other uses of leadership platforms are described here. The paper details uses of the platform, pedagogical benefits of the platforms that are based on current theories of learning, and…

In this paper, we discuss a reflexive teaching approach, which may make the field of Organisation Studies more permeable to alternative views and thus more responsive to the complexities of processes unfolding in organisations in the context of a rapidly changing world. We contend that reflection on lived experience complements perspectives that…

A view of construction from the window of a first-grade classroom was the catalyst for a multi-grade, multidisciplinary curriculum project at St. Patrick's Episcopal Day School in Washington, DC. This article provides background information on the school and the project, and details the students' work. The project description includes how the…

The essays presented in this "Occasional Paper" reflect the voices of those in the midst of becoming the teachers they hope to be. In these essays, teachers find courage, resourcefulness, insight, and inspiration. They are reminded not to give up on themselves. Three vital aspects explored in these essays include: (1) teaching is about being…

This books aims to change the way the reader views radical literacy education, offering a personal look at the Freirean ideas that guided an educator's early years of teaching, and the theories and classroom experiences that urged her to take a second look. Through her own experience, the author demonstrated the power of sustained dialogue between…

The goal of this paper is to reflect upon Engineering Education, starting from experiments that have been carried out at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF), aiming to improve the learning process of the content of basic drawing disciplines concerned with graphic representation, which are subjects of the initial terms of the courses of…

Examines the case method in light of developments in adult education and finds that reflection after class discussion is usually neglected and often discouraged. Concludes that use of reflective reports helps to overcome concerns about value and relevance in management education. (Contains 17 references.) (JOW)

This description of a teacher-researchers's experiences of surprise in daily practice suggests that moments of surprise are opportunities to develop and sustain reflective teaching practice. The experience of surprise is in itself an embodied reflection that can awaken pedagogical possibilities. (SLD)