Fragments stored against my ruin: the place of educational theory in the professional development of teachers in further education

Teacher training is now a requirement for new staff in the further education sector in England. The Sector Skills Council, LifeLong Learning UK, sets national standards for training that include Reflective Practice as an underpinning value and Learning Theory as part of training programmes. There is, however, no statement of what is meant by reflective practice or of what learning theory should be included. Teacher trainers are free to determine the meaning of these terms. This article reports a Learning and Skills Development Agency funded survey of trained and experienced teachers in further education, which showed that they hold positive views about reflective practice, but mixed views about theory, which is perceived by many solely as codified, propositional theory, associated with canonical names, such as Bloom and even Skinner. The rest of the article will attempt to prepare ground for a debate within the further education community in England about what professional knowledge should be developed in initial training. In particular, what codified theory should be encountered and how should this connect with a reflective practice model of initial training?

Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner.

Teacher training is now a requirement for new staff in the further education sector in England. The Sector Skills Council, LifeLong Learning UK, sets national standards for training that include Reflective Practice as an underpinning value and Learning Theory as part of training programmes. There is, however, no statement of what is meant by reflective practice or of what learning theory should be included. Teacher trainers are free to determine the meaning of these terms. This article reports a Learning and Skills Development Agency funded survey of trained and experienced teachers in ...  [+] Show more