Teachers’ beliefs about teaching and learning: an exploratory study

Abstract

Abstract:Within the context of globalisation, the diversification of learning contexts and the implementation of national and transnational policy measures concerning teacher education, teaching competences and lifelong learning, teacher identity has emerged as being problematic and paradoxical. Drawing on recent research concerning teachers' professional identity, reflexivity, and cultural narratives of teaching and learning, we present an exploratory study of Portuguese teachers' beliefs concerning teaching and learning, as part of their professional knowledge. Contradictions and ambiguities were detected in the teachers' perspectives. They are analysed and discussed in order to highlight their implications and possibilities for further research on teachers and teaching.

Teacher identity: crossing the technical-rationalist and affective divide

“…Such characteristics are described in varying detail across international educational policies through professional standards for teacher registration or regulation and the assessment criteria of teacher education programmes (Mockler 2010;Buchanan 2014). In this way, by articulating 'good teachers' and 'good teaching' in cognitivist, measurable ways (Benesch 2018), emerging (student) teachers and teacher educators are at risk of reproducing established, naturalised, and sometimes problematic notions of teacher identity and practice (Edwards & Blake 2007;Arvaja 2016;Gonçalves, Azevedo & Alves 2013). Across the literature, three main contributing factors can be identified in the process of 'professionalising' teacher identity: 1) teachers are constructed as disciplinary experts, 2) teacher competency and professionalism are conceptualised and driven by pre-determined professional standards issued by policy-makers, and 3) professional practice, as interconnected with professional identity, is legitimated through particular ways of doing evidence-based practitioner enquiry.…”

Pre-service teachers' performance from teachers' perspective and vice versa: behaviors, attitudes and other associated variables

“…The importance of reflecting upon one's own experience New challenges faced by teachers is addressed by authors who emphasize the profile of 'reflective practitioner' or reflective thinkers (Bentley-Williams & Morgan, 2013;de Jong, van Tartwijk, Verloop, Veldman, & Wubbels, 2013;Gonçalves, Azevedo, & Alves, 2013;Kirk, 2000;Turner, 2013;Zeichner, 1994). Of relevance in this regard is to analyze the extent to which less experienced pre-service teachers rate the skills displayed by experienced teachers.…”