In this commentary, theoretical principles pertaining to the role of epistemic cognition in teaching and professional development, synthesized from the content of this special issue on reflection and reflexivity, are proffered. These theoretical notions are then followed with a critical analysis of specific challenges encountered in enacting these…

This paper presents a view of action research (AR) as a valuable way in which teachers can pose fertile questions and engage in inquiry with transformative possibilities. This counters claims of its being at best a sterile method of teacher research and at worst a perilous trap for teachers. Chris Higgins has argued that AR has lost its original…

In this essay, Ian Hardy argues that a research process involving generalizing from professional educational practice can and should inform the work of educators, including academic researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, but that these generalizations need to be derived from, and in dialogue with, the complexity and specificity of actual…

Proposes a conceptual framework for consultation on teaching at the higher education level that includes four critical components of instructional consultation: (1) access (informing and encouraging potential users); (2) focus (the importance of negotiating the consultation agenda); (3) recognition (especially for peer consultants and recipients);…

For instructors in college writing centers, doing research is crucial, both for understanding what they do and authorizing who they are. A dialogic relationship between the research undertaken and current theory is particularly crucial. The goal of this research needs to be understanding the relationship between the writing center and the larger…

Describes the continuing clinical education component of nursing faculty practice and discusses its place within a hypothetical, broader context. Defines faculty practice as direct patient care provided by a nurse on a standing academic faculty and indicates the need among faculty for short-term continuing clinical education. (Author/JOW)

The following are features of effective teacher development: (1) a positive climate for change; (2) carefully planned activities related to explicit program goals; (3) relevant theory and research; (4) active participation; and (5) practice, feedback, and support for transfer of learning. (SK)

All the articles in this collection share at least three common features. First, they all give a narrative account of a change that took place within an activity system; in this, they follow Vygotsky's (1978) injunction to investigate the history of the system in order to understand its "causal dynamic basis" (p. 62). Second, in so doing, they…

Describes how the author, a broadcasting educator, worked as a summer intern at a professional TV station in order to keep his instruction current, and to keep up on the latest stylistic and technological changes in the business. Discusses the benefits of doing so, and notes some useful information learned. (SR)

Focuses on current reform efforts in teacher development and links teacher reflection to what the author considers the essence of current educational reform. In addition, examples are provided from research and practice to support the argument that teachers who are able to reflect are better able to accomplish their goals. (GLR)

Discusses the positive effects of the ATLAS (Authentic Teaching, Learning, and Assessment of all Students) seminars on helping partner organizations understand certain shared underpinnings in their work on curriculum, reviewing a series of articles on the subject and noting that the partners share the belief that democratic dialog fosters the…

Three highly acclaimed teachers from Virginia elementary schools reflect on how they have put research into practice to the benefit of their students, discussing their experiences in teaching reading and presenting information on how their school encourages the type of professional-development activities that provide for the careful examination of…

Discussion of the research/practice gap in higher education suggests the importance of considering the forces influencing new faculty and researchers, including tenure and promotion policies and practices, institutional socialization, disciplinary culture, journal editors, and senior scholars. Offers suggestions for bridging the gap between new…

After reviewing the language teaching/research situation this document offers a training paradigm that allows teachers to take what they already do and reposition and redefine it. In this way, the everyday concerns and issues facing them in the classroom may be translated into disciplined and structured research questions, which can then form the…

In English teacher education, some have seen Schon's work as justifying movement toward school-based training to bridge theory-practice gaps in teacher education. This article suggests that Schon's work, in the context of Wittgenstein's description of language, can be reinterpreted to support a wider notion of teacher education and professional…