Views on and Practices of Integrating Theory and Practice in Teacher Education Programs in Atlantic Canada

Authors

  • Thomas Falkenberg Faculty of Education University of Manitoba
  • Karen Goodnough Faculty of Education Memorial University
  • Ronald J. MacDonald Faculty of Education University of Prince Edward Island

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11575/ajer.v60i2.55837

Keywords:

Teacher Education, initial teacher education, integrating theory and practice, theory-practice gap, teacher education program design, Mots clés, formation initiale des enseignants, intégration de la théorie et la pratique, écart théorie-pratique, concept

Abstract

The need for and lack of integration of theory and practice in initial teacher education programs has been discussed as a central issue for teacher education. This article reports on a study that surveyed university-based teacher educators in Atlantic Canada on their perspectives regarding how theory and practice can be integrated, how they and the programs they work in integrate theory and practice, and what challenges they perceive for the integration of theory and practice in their own teaching and the teacher education programs within which they work. 

Un enjeu central qui ressort des discussions sur la formation des enseignants est le besoin d’intégrer la théorie et la pratique dans les programmes de formation initiale. Cet article rend compte d’une étude impliquant une enquête auprès de formateurs universitaires d’enseignants dans le Canada atlantique pour connaitre leur points de vue sur les façons d’intégrer la théorie et la pratique, et sur les défis qu’ils perçoivent pour l’intégration de la théorie et la pratique dans leur propre enseignement et dans les programmes de formation des enseignants au sein desquels ils travaillent.

Author Biographies

Thomas Falkenberg, Faculty of Education University of Manitoba

Thomas Falkenberg is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba. He is the current Coordinator of the Education for Sustainable Well-Being Research Group at the University of Manitoba (www.eswbrg.org). More details about his research and academic background can be gleaned from http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~falkenbe/index.html. 

Karen Goodnough, Faculty of Education Memorial University

Karen Goodnough is a Professor in the Faculty of Education at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Prior to her work at Memorial in 2003, she was a high school science teacher and curriculum consultant. She is actively engaged in research that focuses on collaborative action research, pre-service teacher education, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematic) education. 

Ronald J. MacDonald, Faculty of Education University of Prince Edward Island

Ronald J. MacDonald has been a junior and senior high school science teacher in Nova Scotia and Ontario, Canada, for 15 years. He has also been an information technology integration specialist and professional development facilitator. Ron's research includes: supporting science teacher communities of practice when they are integrating technologies; gender differences in students’ attitude toward science when technologies are used; the merging of theory and practice in teacher education and project-based learning in science. He is Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada and teaches science methods. 

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Published

2015-04-07

How to Cite

Falkenberg, T., Goodnough, K., & MacDonald, R. J. (2015). Views on and Practices of Integrating Theory and Practice in Teacher Education Programs in Atlantic Canada. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 60(2), 339–360. https://doi.org/10.11575/ajer.v60i2.55837

Issue

Vol. 60 No. 2 (2014): Summer

Section

ARTICLES

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