Mapping a complex system: what influences teacher learning during initial teacher education?

ABSTRACT

Despite a growing body of knowledge about what content, processes and arrangements for learning may result in more effective initial teacher education, there remains a problem with the variability of outcomes from teacher education programmes. This paper reports on a multi-perspective exploration of what influences learning to teach in valued ways during initial teacher education. Framed by complexity theory, which emphasises the non-linear nature of social phenomena, the paper presents an analysis of 76 maps of influences on learning to teach (made by teacher candidates, teacher educators, mentor teachers and policy makers), looking for differences and patterns that might point the way to explanations about teacher candidates’ varying ability to enact practice that improves outcomes for all learners.

KEYWORDS:

• Initial teacher education
• complexity
• learning to teach

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Fiona Ell

Fiona Ell is a teacher educator and primary teacher, with particular interests in mathematics education and how people learn to teach for social justice.

Mavis Haigh

Mavis Haigh has been a secondary teacher and teacher educator. Currently she is an educational researcher in areas of initial teacher education and science education.

Marilyn Cochran-Smith

Marilyn Cochran-Smith is Cawthorne Professor of Teacher Education and director of the Doctoral Program in Curriculum and Instruction at Boston College’s Lynch School of Education

Lexie Grudnoff

Lexie Grudnoff is a primary teacher and teacher educator. Her research interests are broadly related to new teacher professional learning and development.

Larry Ludlow

Larry Ludlow is Professor and Chair of the Department of Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation at the Lynch School of Education, Boston College.

Mary F. Hill

Mary F. Hill has been both a primary school teacher and teacher education academic. Her research interests combine educational assessment, teacher education and professional learning and inquiry.