Practice Theory and Education challenges how we think about ‘practice’, examining what it means across different fields and sites. It is organised into four themes: discursive practices; practice, change and organisations; practising subjectivity; and professional practice, public policy and education. Contributors to the collection engage and extend practice theory by drawing on the legacies of diverse social and cultural theorists, including Bourdieu, de Certeau, Deleuze and Guattari, Dewey, Latour, Marx, and Vygotsky, and by building on the theoretical trajectories of contemporary authors such as Karen Barad, Yrjo Engestrom, Andreas Reckwitz, Theodore Schatzki, Dorothy Smith, and Charles Taylor. The proximity of ideas from different fields and theoretical traditions in the book highlight key matters of concern in contemporary practice thinking, including the historicity of practice; the nature of change in professional practices; the place of discursive material in practice; the efficacy of refiguring conventional understandings of subjectivity and agency; and the capacity for theories of practice to disrupt conventional understandings of asymmetries of power and resources. Their juxtaposition also points to areas of contestation and raises important questions for future research. Practice Theory and Education will appeal to postgraduate students, academics and researchers in professional practice and education, and scholars working with social theory. It will be of particular interest to those who wish to move beyond the limiting configurations of practice found in contemporary neoliberal, new managerialist and narrow representationalist discourses.
This book addresses both the concerns of teacher candidates and their misconceptions about the relation of theory and practice in education. The contributors to this volume share the belief that theories provide teachers with a frame of reference and a language with which to name and critically analyze many of the problems they face daily.
In an age where the quality of teacher education programs has been called into question, it is more important than ever that teachers have a fundamental understanding of the principles of human learning, motivation, and development. Theory to Practice: Educational Psychology for Teachers and Teaching is a series for those who teach educational psychology in teacher education programs. At a time when educational psychology is at risk of becoming marginalized, it is imperative that we, as educators, “walk our talk” in serving as models of what effective instruction looks like. Each volume in the series draws upon the latest research to help instructors model fundamental principles of learning, motivation, and development to best prepare their students for the diverse, multidimensional, uncertain, and socially-embedded environments in which these future educators will teach. The inaugural volume, Teaching on Assessment, is centered on the role of assessment in teaching and learning. Each chapter translates current research on critical topics in assessment for educational psychology instructors and teacher educators to consider in their teaching of future teachers. Written for practitioners, the aim is to present contemporary issues and ideas that would help teachers engage in meaningful assessment practice. This volume is important not only because of the dwindling presence of assessment-related instructional content in teacher preparation programs, but also because the policy changes in the last two decades have transformed the meaning and use of assessment in K-12 classrooms. Praise for Teaching on Assessment "This thought-provoking book brings together perspectives from educational psychology and teacher education to examine how assessment can best support student motivation, engagement, and learning. In the volume, editors Nichols and Varier present a set of chapters written by leaders in the field to examine critical questions about how to best prepare teachers to make instructional decisions, understand assessment within the context of learning and motivation theory, and draw on assessment in ways which can meet the needs of diverse learners. Written in a highly accessible language and style, each chapter contains clear takeaway messages designed for educational psychologists, teacher educators, teachers, and pre-service teachers. This book is essential reading for anyone involved in teaching or developing our future teaching professionals." Lois R. Harris, Australian Catholic University "This impressive book provides a wealth of contemporary and engaging resources, ideas and perspectives that educational psychology instructors will find relevant for helping students understand the complexity of assessment decision-making as an essential component of instruction. Traditional assessment principles are integrated with contemporary educational psychology research that will enhance prospective teachers’ decision-making about classroom assessments that promote all students’ learning and motivation. It is unique in showing how to best leverage both formative and summative assessment to boost student engagement and achievement, enabling students to understand how to integrate practical classroom constraints and realities with current knowledge about self-regulation, intrinsic motivation, and other psychological constructs that assessment needs to consider. The chapters are written by established experts who are able to effectively balance presentation of research and theory with practical applications. Notably, the volume includes very important topics rarely emphasized in other assessment texts, including assessment literacy frameworks, diversity, equity, assessment strategies for students with special needs, and data-driven decision making. The book will be an excellent supplement for educational psychology classes or for assessment courses, introducing students to current thinking about how to effectively integrate assessment with instruction." James McMillan, Virginia Commonwealth University.
An introduction to the techniques, contemporary theories and methods of teaching from facilitating problem-based learning to the role of the lecture, this book explores the issues that underpin interpersonal methods of teaching, and offers genuine insights. It will help teachers at all levels to understand the techniques that they can use in different situations, and willenable them to develop more effective teaching practice. This fully updated second edition contains new material on e-moderating (teaching online) and its implications for teaching theory, issues surrounding discipline and teaching and the ethical dimensions of teaching. Additional topics include: the nature of teaching the ethics of the teaching and learning relationship the relationship between learning theory and the theory of teaching teaching methods, including didactic, Socratic and experiential and monitoring the issues of assessment of learning. The Theory and Practice of Teaching will be of interest to anyone wanting to develop a deep understanding of the key themes and latest developments in teaching and is an ideal companion volume to The Theory and Practice of Learning.
This book provides a collection of applicable learning theories and their applications to science teaching. It presents a synthesis of historical theories while also providing practical implications for improvement of pedagogical practices aimed at advancing the field into the future. The theoretical viewpoints included in this volume span cognitive and social human development, address theories of learning, and describe approaches to teaching and curriculum development. The book presents and discusses humanistic, behaviourist, cognitivist, and constructivist theories. In addition, it looks at other theories, such as multiple intelligences theory, systems thinking, gender/sexuality theory and indigenous knowledge systems. Each chapter follows a reader-motivated approach anchored on a narrative genre. The book serves as a guide for those aiming to create optional learning experiences to prepare the next generation STEM workforce. Chapter “The Bildung Theory—From von Humboldt to Klafki and Beyond” is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com
Learning is among the most basic of human activities. The study of learning, and research into learning is becoming a central part of educational studies. This is a comprehensive introduction to contemporary theories and modern practices of learning. Updated and expanded, this second edition should be of interest to teachers, facilitators, human resource developers and students of education. The contents cover: lifelong learning; the social background to learning; cognitivist theory; types of learning; learning using ICT; and philosophical reflections on learning.
Activity Theory in Education: Research and Practice brings together cutting-edge scholars from a number of continents. Through in-depth case studies the authors highlight how Activity Theory is used in education and discuss the theoretical as well as pragmatic use of Activity Theory frameworks in a range of contemporary learning contexts. The first section of the book focuses on empirical research on using Activity Theory in analysing students’ and teachers’ experiences of learning and teaching in face-to-face and online learning contexts. The second section contains insights in identifying historical and systemic tensions in educational contexts using Activity Theory. The third section discusses conceptual and contextual aspects of educational contexts through Activity Theory, and Section four discusses the application of Activity Theory in understanding teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge and curriculum development. In spite of the widespread and rapidly increasing use of Activity Theory in educational research, few collections of this work are available. Activity Theory in Education: Research and Practice is such a much needed collection of practical experiences, theoretical insights and empirical research findings on the use of Activity Theory in educational settings.” – Yrjö Engeström, Centre for Research on Activity, Development and Learning (CRADLE), The University of Helsinki.
Although educational theories are presented in a variety of textbooks and in some discipline specific handbooks and encyclopedias, no publication exists which serves as a comprehensive, consolidated collection of the most influential and most frequently quoted and consulted theories. There is a need to put such theories into a single, easily accessible volume. A unique feature of the Handbook is the way in which it conveys the theories. The organization of the chapters within each section makes the volume an easy·to-use and tu1derstandable reference tool as researchers and practitioners seek theories to guide their research and practice and as they develop theoretical frameworks. In addition to the traditional theories presented, the Handbook includes emerging theories for the 21st Century as well as presenting practical examples of the use of these theories in research from dissertations and published articles. An appendix which indicates which theories have instruments associated with them and where those instruments can be found is also included. The Handbook consists of 12 sections. Section I provides the jntroduction with a focus on what constitutes good theory as well as how theory guides research and practice. The remaining sections address Philosophical Educational Constructs, Leaming Theory, Instructional Theory, Curriculum theory, Literacy and Language Acquisition Theory, Counseling Theory, Moral Development Theory, Classroom Management Theory, Assessment Theory, Organizational Theory, and Leadership/Management Theory. Each section consists of an overview written by the section editor of the general theoretical concepts to be addressed by the chapter authors. Each chapter within the section will include (a) a description of the theory with goals, assumptions, and aspects particular to the theory, (b) the original development of and interactions of the theory, (c) validation of the theory, (d) generalizability of the theory across cultures, ethnicities, and genders, (e) the use and application of the theory, (f) critiques of the theory, (g) any instruments associated with the theory, and (h) two to five particular studies exemplifying particular theories as individuals have used them in theoretical framework of dissertations or published articles and be written by the original theorist or prominent contributors to the theory. The Handbook is intended for graduate students enrolled in research courses or completing theses and dissertations. Additionally, professors of all educational disciplines in the social scierices would be an interested audience. There is also potential use of the text as administrators, counselors, and teachers in schools use theory to guide practice. As more inquiry is being promoted among school leaders, this book has more meaning for practitioners.
Medical Education: Theory and Practice is a new text linking the theory and the practice for graduate students and educators who want to go beyond the basics. The scholarship of medical education is, above all, a ‘practice’, but one that has a strong theoretical foundation. Neither theory nor practice stand still, and both are grounded in research. The novelty of this book lies in its interweaving of practice, theory, innovation and research. The book starts with a theorised, contemporary overview of the field. Next, it explores the theoretical foundations of medical education in depth. The remainder of the book reviews a whole a range of educational contexts, processes and outcomes. This work has been edited by a distinguished, international team of medical educationalists and written by equally accomplished authors from across the globe representing a spectrum of disciplines. This will be an invaluable text for all Masters Students in health professions education as well as PhD students and education researchers wanting a background to the discipline. Educators and medical students will also find it a very useful resource. Written by key figures in medical educational research combined with a strong editorial influence from the international editorial team. The text has a strong evidence-based approach that is fully cognisant of research methodology issues, The book provides a scholarly explanation on the topic, rather than aiming to say the last word. Written throughout in a clear and comprehensible style. The content is extensively referenced with additional suggestions for further reading.
