Social Theory for Teacher Education Research

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 <i>Social Theory for Teacher Education Research</i> 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. <br/> <br/> The theories discussed include Actor-Network Theory (ANT) Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) and<i> la didactique du plurilinguisme </i>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.