ERIC Number: EJ1161837
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0261-9768
EISSN: N/A
Constructivism as a Framework for Literacy Teacher Education Courses: The Cases of Six Literacy Teacher Educators
Kosnik, Clare; Menna, Lydia; Dharamshi, Pooja; Beck, Clive
European Journal of Teacher Education, v41 n1 p105-119 2018
This paper presents findings from the large-scale study "Literacy Teacher Educators: Their Backgrounds, Visions, and Practices" that includes 28 literacy/English teacher educators (LTEs) from four countries. The participants were interviewed three times and shared their course outlines. Six pre-service LTEs who use a constructivist approach are presented. The six LTEs speak English as their mother tongue. Three aspects of constructivism are discussed: knowledge is constructed by learners; knowledge is experience based; and a strong class community is essential. They have adopted a constructivist approach because they conceptualised the teaching/learning process as a partnership. Constructivism is a flexible and fluid framework so individual LTEs can shape their work for their context and draw on their strengths; however, it is demanding because courses have to be somewhat organic in order to create space for discussion of issues as they arise.
Descriptors: Teacher Education, Literacy Education, Constructivism (Learning), Teaching Methods, Learning Processes, Guidelines, Teacher Educators, Course Descriptions, Preservice Teachers, Teacher Attitudes, Interviews, Qualitative Research, College Faculty, Teacher Characteristics, Prior Learning, Theory Practice Relationship, Foreign Countries, Communities of Practice
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Canada; United Kingdom (England); Australia; United States
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A