Teacher Candidates Learn How to Analyze Student Learning Using a Systemic-Theoretical Approach

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 10
  In Roundtable Session: Cultural Historical Activity Theory Research on Partnerships and Collaboration as Culturally and Historically Situated Systems for Professional Learning

Abstract

There’s a consensus among the educational community that teachers need to be able to identify and facilitate student learning. However, teacher candidates (TCs) often don’t have many opportunities to analyze student learning during their preparation. Inspired by Gal’perin’s systemic approach for designing curriculum, we propose that theoretical ideas of learning be introduced and used as tools instead of expecting TCs to develop empirical definitions of learning.
In this paper, we study how this approach was used in a science pedagogy course. By reviewing TCs collective and individual reflections, we examine if and how TCs used the theoretical tools provided in the course for analyzing and mediating student learning in their practice.

Authors

• Pooneh Sabouri, Florida International University

• Susan A. Kirch, New York University

• Sanaz Farhangi, Florida International University