Social Theory for Teacher Education Research: Beyond the Technical-Rational

(Paperback)

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Traditionally, teacher education research theory and practice have had a technical-rational focus on productions of knowledge, skills, performance and accountability. Such a focus serves to (re)produce current educational systems instead of noticing and critiquing the wider modes of domination that permeate schools and school systems. In Social Theory for Teacher Education Research, Kathleen Nolan, Jennifer Tupper and the contributors make arguments for drawing on social theories to inform research in teacher education research that moves the agenda beyond technical-rational concerns toward building a critically reflexive stance for noticing and unpacking the socio-political contexts of schooling. The theories discussed include Actor-Network Theory (ANT), Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) and la didactique du plurilinguisme, and social theorists covered include Barad, Bernstein, Bourdieu, Braidotti, Deleuze, Foucault, Heidegger, and Nussbaum. The chapters in this book make explicit how innovative social theory-driven research can challenge and change teacher education practices and the learning experiences of students.

Reviews

The need to resist techno-rationalist approaches to education has never been greater than it is today. In this book, leading scholars explore and illustrate strategies to equip teacher education students with crucial critical capacitieshow to use social theory to critique and engage the practices of schooling in support of equity and social justice. A must read for teacher educators! * Julianne Lynch, Associate Professor, Deakin University, Australia *

Author Bio

Kathleen Nolan is Professor in Mathematics Education at the University of Regina, Canada. Jennifer Tupper is Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta, Canada.