To Be the Leader in Constructing Personal Practical Theories: The Chinese Expert Teachers' Experience

• In Event: Motivations and Identities Across the Career Span

Abstract

Drawing on interviews with 7 Chinese expert teachers and other data, this study explored what personal practical theories (PPTs) they constructed and the corresponding construction process. The data analysis revealed that PPTs constructed by expert teachers are a system of beliefs about teachers, students, and contents. Also, this study found expert teachers can build relatively mature PPTs via four main stages: identifying effective practice, crystalizing core concepts, proposing theoretical tenets, and configuring PPTs. Expert teachers face some challenges in these stages but can obtain various benefits. For instance, expert teachers considered the PPT a powerful tool to lead educational improvement in a school, region, and country.

Authors

• Miao Liu, University of Edinburgh
  Presenting Author

• Wei Liao, Beijing Normal University
  Non-Presenting Author