Theory‐practice Divide in Teacher Education at the University of Cyprus and the Role of the Traditional Values of the Orthodox Church

This paper presents the results of a long-term project which compared primary school student-teachers' theories on teaching with their actual teaching, investigated the factors underlying the revealed discrepancy and tried to explain it. The results indicated that although student-teachers' educational views shifted in their final year of study towards a child-centred and constructivist view of teaching, this was not implemented in their actual teaching. Analysis of videotaped lessons and interviews with student-teachers revealed some grave misconceptions about teaching and learning. The paper argues that these misconceptions were the principal factor underlying the mismatch that was identified between student-teachers' theories on teaching and their actual teaching. The hypothesis is also put forth that these misconceptions are likely the result of deeply embedded cultural values through which student-teachers' understanding of the new pedagogical approaches is mediated.