Acta Iadertina, Vol. 19 No. 2, 2022.
Review article
https://doi.org/10.15291/ai.3470
Teacher Professional Development within Constructivism learning Theory
Ana MIROSAVLJEVIĆ
orcid.org/0000-0002-2892-6548
; Department of Social and Human Sciences, University of Slavonski Brod, Slavonski Brod, Croatia
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the professional development
of teachers within a constructivist framework. As such, the paper contributes
to understanding the constructivist nature of learning processes
that have important implications for teachers and their understanding
of the effective way their students learn. This paper focuses
on the most influential learning theories and the constructivist view
of learning and discusses the foundations on which the constructivist
learning theory is laid. In this way, constructivism suggests that teachers
design teaching practice through constant interaction between what
they already know and believe and what they experience, constructing
knowledge in interaction with the environment, changing both
teachers and the environment. In other words, teachers actively build
knowledge through interactions in the environment as individuals and
as members of a group or community. According to a similar principle,
they encourage students to actively and independently manage
their learning and education. Understanding the way teachers learn
is crucial for the substantial and continuous improvement of teaching
in schools as well as improving student learning outcomes. The paper
emphasizes the pedagogical goals of constructivist learning and the
principles of pedagogical constructivism that characterize constructivist
teaching and make it a dynamic process but also create an effective
environment for professional learning and professional development of
teachers. In addition, it explains the principles of effective teaching and
learning and the elements of constructivist teacher education, and thus
the characteristics of a constructivist approach to teacher professional
development.
Keywords
constructivist learning; professional development; teacher; teaching
Hrčak ID:
296316
URI
Publication date:
23.3.2023.
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