Teachers Professional Development in Global Contexts: Insights from Teacher Education

The essence of this book is to shed light on the nature of current educational practices from a variety of theoretical perspectives. Both teachers and their trainers provide a better understanding of teacher training and learning processes. Mutual interrelations and the provision of knowledge between academia and schools are essential for merging discourses and aligning positions, whereby turning practice into theory and theory into practice in today’s teaching is vital for suitably responding to multiple issues and increasingly diverse contexts.

The array of studies from around the world compiled in this volume allow readers to find common ground, discover shared concerns, and define goals. Studying teaching practice and training in different contexts reveals the state-of-the-art practices and identifies those issues that enable educators to understand the complexities involved. The chapters examine the development of our knowledge and understanding of teaching practices, at the same time as analysing engaging learning environments, the sustainability of learning and teaching practices, and highlighting new practices based on the use of ICTs. The diverse teaching contexts considered in this compilation of international research are organized according to the following topics: Teaching occupational learning and knowledge; Teacher beliefs and reflective thinking; and Innovative teaching procedures.

The contributors are Laura Sara Agrati, Dyann Barras, Verónica Basilotta Gómez-Pablos, Benignus Bitu, Robyn Brandenburg, Heather Braund, Michael Cavanagh, Chiou-hui Chou, Jean Clandinin, Leah L. Echiverri, Maria Flores, Francisco García Peñalvo, María García-Rodríguez, Ana García-Valcárcel, Stephen Geofroy, Raquel Gómez, Jenna Granados, Hafdís Guðjónsdóttir, Jukka Husu, Jóhanna Karlsdóttir, Keith Lane, Celina Lay, Samuel Lochan, Marta Martín-del-Pozo, Ella Mazor, Sharon M. McDonough, Lennox McLeod, Juanjo Mena, Wendy Moran, Brian Mundy, Nkopodi Nkopodi, Lily Orland-Barak, Edda Óskarsdóttir, Samuel O. Oyoo, Stefinee Pinnegar, Eleftherios Soleas, Lystra Stephens-James, Linda Turner, Antoinette Valentine-Lewis, and Sarah Witt.

Juanjo Mena, Ph.D. (2007), is Associate Professor at the Department of Education of the University of Salamanca (Spain). He is a member of the GRIAL research group and the treasurer of the International Study Association on Teachers and Teaching (ISATT). His research interests are focused on the analysis of the teaching practice, mentoring and the practicum, Teacher Education and ICT.

Ana García-Valcárcel is Professor of Educational Technology at the University of Salamanca and Director of the Master in ICT in Education. She is also Head of the GITE-USAL Research Group. Her areas of expertise are digital technologies integration, teacher training in digital skills, evaluation of digital skills and the use of video games.

Francisco José García Peñalvo, Ph.D. (2000), University of Salamanca, is full Professor at the Computer Science Department of the USAL and he is Director of the GRIAL Group. He was Technology and Innovation pro-Vice Chancellor of the USAL in charge of the definition, planning and development of the USAL technical management strategy based on Open Source solutions.