Section archive - Theories & Approaches

This follow-up study explores whether and how supervision makes a difference to teacher learning. The study describes the learning process of Nicole, an experienced teacher who had participated in the initial study. This study took place in the context of a national reform in the higher levels of secondary education in the Netherlands. During the supervisory sessions, Nicole found a way of reflecting on situations. She shifted her perspective from action-oriented reflection by herself to meaning-oriented reflection together with the students. The supervisor also helped Nicole become aware of the thought patterns obstructing her in working toward her ideal.

This case study explores the immediate impact of LGB-themed instruction by examining graduate education students’ written reflections following a guest lecture on LGB-related educational issues. The participants in this study were the instructor who was a heterosexual woman, two guest speakers who were two gay men, and 18 credentialed, master’s degree education students. The results of the current study indicate that teachers are more likely to establish and implement inclusive policies and practices in their classrooms in response to LGB-themed instruction.

The goal of this article is to argue that drawing on the theory of conceptual change as commonly applied to learning in science classrooms is an appropriate and valuable framework for understanding how teachers change their ideas about the pedagogical implications of student diversity. After a description of two traditions of conceptual change learning, the Teaching for Conceptual Change model is deployed to analyze two different accounts of teacher learning.

The purpose of this article is to focus a philosophical lens on quality teaching in general, and the High-Quality Teaching (HQT) study in particular, an examination of what teachers do to help fourth- and fifth-grade students succeed in reading and mathematics. The authors' intent is to demonstrate how such philosophical scrutiny can lead to a fuller understanding of high-quality teaching in its varied manifestations.