Constructivism as a framework for literacy teacher education courses: the cases of six literacy teacher educators |
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Authors: | Clare Kosnik Lydia Menna Pooja Dharamshi Clive Beck |
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Affiliation: | University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada |
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Abstract: | This paper presents findings from the large-scale study Literacy Teacher Educators: Their Backgrounds, Visions, and Practices that includes 28 literacy/English teacher educators (LTEs) from four countries. The participants were interviewed three times and shared their course outlines. Six pre-service LTEs who use a constructivist approach are presented. The six LTEs speak English as their mother tongue. Three aspects of constructivism are discussed: knowledge is constructed by learners; knowledge is experience based; and a strong class community is essential. They have adopted a constructivist approach because they conceptualised the teaching/learning process as a partnership. Constructivism is a flexible and fluid framework so individual LTEs can shape their work for their context and draw on their strengths; however, it is demanding because courses have to be somewhat organic in order to create space for discussion of issues as they arise. |
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Keywords: | Constructivism teacher educators literacy teacher education |
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