Aligning Constructivist Beliefs about Teaching and Learning with Teaching Practices

Abstract

Teacher education is often criticized for not sufficiently preparing teachers. As a teacher educator, I became concerned that my practice did not reflect my constructivist perspective. I was a living contradiction. As a result, I initiated this study to examine my current teaching and identify how I might align my beliefs and practice. Using a self-study approach, I analyzed my teaching practices in a high school science classroom and in a science teacher education course. The qualitative data collected included lesson plans, video recordings of teaching, student and peer interviews, a personal educational life history narrative, and a reflective journal. Brooks and Brooks’ (2001) guiding principles of constructivism provided the lens for data analyses. Alignment of beliefs and practice were more prevalent in the university setting than in the high school. My understanding of constructivist practice during the high school teaching was underdeveloped, and thinking of meaningful constructivist-oriented activities was a struggle. In the subsequent university class, I developed a deeper understanding of constructivist pedagogies. The nature of the course content and increased student motivation also made planning easier. My findings suggest a need for my continued development in planning and delivering constructivist-oriented activities. One insight drawn from the research is that graduate programs in teacher education should consider preparing doctoral students to teach undergraduate students. Another insight is that the success of constructivist-oriented activities is dependent on the teaching context.