Creating Expansive Learning Opportunities in Schools: The Role of School Leaders in Initial Teacher Education Partnerships

Source: European Journal of Teacher Education, Volume 35, Issue 1, 2012, pages 3-15.

This paper analyses the learning opportunities afforded pre-service teachers when participating in a primary school placement in London, England as part of their university teacher education course.

Cultural historical activity theory is used as a theoretical framework to address how pre-service teacher learning opportunities are constructed.

Building on a previous year-long ethnographic study which explored how and why pre-service teacher learning opportunities differed in school settings, this paper introduces a small scale pilot study.

The study integrates developmental work research into an initial teacher education school/university partnership, and considers the role of the school leader in this.