The theoretical framework of this paper is based on the living theory of practice developed by Jack Whitehead. Whitehead holds the view that theory is an outcome of practice and that the practitioner, being an expert ...The theoretical framework of this paper is based on the living theory of practice developed by Jack Whitehead. Whitehead holds the view that theory is an outcome of practice and that the practitioner, being an expert of her or his practice, is capable of improving practice by systematically acting, observing, reflecting, evaluating and theorizing about practice. In this research spiral activity, the main question is： How do I improve what I am doing？ By introducing teacher students to action research and living theories in the process of becoming religious education teachers, they are empowered to investigate and to analyse their practice right from the beginning of their life as practitioners. In this process their personal values and the values emerging from the variety of RE themes will inform their critical reflection about to what extent they are able to mirror these values in their actions in the classroom, particularly in their interactions with pupils. Theses purposeful activities will advance their knowledge about what they are doing and inform their evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning constructed in their practices. Teachers or practitioner -- researchers who are able to systematically observe their practice, are in the position of minimizing the gap between values and actions and to give scholarly and informed explanations for what they are doing in the RE classroom.展开更多
文摘The theoretical framework of this paper is based on the living theory of practice developed by Jack Whitehead. Whitehead holds the view that theory is an outcome of practice and that the practitioner, being an expert of her or his practice, is capable of improving practice by systematically acting, observing, reflecting, evaluating and theorizing about practice. In this research spiral activity, the main question is： How do I improve what I am doing？ By introducing teacher students to action research and living theories in the process of becoming religious education teachers, they are empowered to investigate and to analyse their practice right from the beginning of their life as practitioners. In this process their personal values and the values emerging from the variety of RE themes will inform their critical reflection about to what extent they are able to mirror these values in their actions in the classroom, particularly in their interactions with pupils. Theses purposeful activities will advance their knowledge about what they are doing and inform their evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning constructed in their practices. Teachers or practitioner -- researchers who are able to systematically observe their practice, are in the position of minimizing the gap between values and actions and to give scholarly and informed explanations for what they are doing in the RE classroom.
