Constructivist Theory in Teacher Professional Development

This view and understanding of the Constructivist theory has premised the choice of this theory as a basis for the current study. Understanding how teachers’ professional development can be guided by constructivist principles of learning can give insights of how teachers can question their own practice and construct their own theories of teaching while at the same time providing a new angle for CPD coordinators and teacher educators to reconsider teacher professional development activities through Constructivist principles.

Supervisor’s comments:

Supervisor 1:

1- Acknowledge Vygotsky within this this particular constructivism tradition.

2- Be careful that you don’t conflate all constructivist theory into one – acknowledge that there are many writers/many approaches that come under this large banner (there is a danger that you give the impression that this can be nice label to slap onto to your thesis – so be ready to give some indication as to the wider variety of approaches associated with ‘constructivism’.

3-   Show how constructivist theories (in professional development related literature) might help in the framing and analysis of your data and most importantly how you can identify with its principles.

As a researcher who is carrying out a study that looks at the interpretation of teachers about their professional development, you are constructing your own understanding (interpretaion) of their experiences based on their perceptions and this is why you would consider yourself a social-constructivist and deploying social constructivism theory would be suitable for your research.

[consider in your writing that this theory enables (and recognises) teacher ‘agency’ – i.e. that teachers themselves can be crucial ‘agents’ in their own professional learning and that they have/can/should have ‘voice’ in the processes associated with their professional development;  it is also a theoretical lens that prioritises the voices/interpretations of those that you are interviewing – i.e. your findings must, in part, be grounded within the kind of exploratory inquiry you are carrying out ]

Supervisor 2:

I had a quick read of your theoretical framework. The decision to use a constructivist theory of learning seems appropriate to your study and you outline distinctions between this approach and ‘traditional’ frameworks for conceptualising learning. However, you need strengthen why this approach is important to the context and purpose of your study.  You hint at this in the last paragraph of the document.  See my questions below (highlighted in red)

This view and understanding of the Constructivist theory has premised the choice of this theory as a basis for the current study. How does this choice relate to, and help to answer, the main research questions? 

Understanding how teachers’ professional development can be guided by constructivist principles of learning can give insights of how teachers can question their own practice and construct their own theories of teaching. Why is it important for teachers to question their own practice? How does this fit with, or undermine, existing CPD frameworks and theories?

While at the same time providing a new angle for CPD coordinators and teacher educators to reconsider teacher professional development activities through Constructivist principles.  Why is a ‘new’ angle necessary?  Is this the originality and significance of your work within the existing literature?

A few additional questions you might want to consider:

1.You write: 'Teacher professional development in Algeria is currently transmitted within a traditional paradigm'. Do you have any evidence for this? Policy documents, teacher professional guidelines produced by some Algerian education authority, e.g. credentialing or inspection body, professional teacher body?

2.What implications might a constructivist theory of learning, with its emphasis on context-dependent readings of learning, have your proposals to transfer ‘good practice’ of CPD across national and cultural contexts?