Teachers as learners: promoting professional development through inquiry

Baumfield, V. (2007) Teachers as learners: promoting professional development through inquiry. Journal of Research and Reflections in Education, 1(2), pp. 147-159.

Full text not currently available from Enlighten.

Publisher's URL: http://www.ue.edu.pk/journal.asp

Abstract

Currently, there is evidence for a common vision of good professional development, which respects and builds on the knowledge and expertise that teachers already have and recognizes their intellectual leadership capacity (Zeichner 2003; Frost 2005). However, much remains to be done in understanding the nature of teachers' experiences and the contexts conducive to professional growth, particularly the role of universities in this process. Universities have traditionally been connected with schools in the pursuit of improvements in teaching and learning through a number of activities which can be grouped around three broad areas: initial teacher education and continuing professional development; consultancy; research (Day' 1999). Gradually there has been a shift in/of perspective in each of these areas so that it is no longer assumed to be simply a question of the schools benefiting from the expertise of the university sector. Contemporary education researchers believe that teacher inquiry, with its potential to redefine the knowledge base for teaching, and the investigation of their own practice will transform rather than simply add to what is already known about teaching and learning (Cochran-Smith and Lytle 1993; Furlong 2000). Consequently, increased interest in developing school-university collaboration to promote the creation and translation/transfer of knowledge is evident in both policy and practice in/of many countries, including the UK and USA.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Baumfield, Professor Vivienne
Authors: Baumfield, V.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Education
Journal Name:Journal of Research and Reflections in Education
Journal Abbr.:JRRE
Publisher:University of Education
ISSN:1995-5243
ISSN (Online):1996-1359

University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record