Acade

y

European

schoolnet

ThematicSeminarReport

Exploringhowteacherslearn

Europeanschoolnet

Academy

Publisher:

EuropeanSchoolnet?(EUNPartnershipAIBSL)RuedeTrèves,61

1040Brussels,Belgium

Author:KayLivingston,UniversityofGlasgow

Editors:BenjaminHertz,EuropeanSchoolnetEfiSaltidou,EuropeanSchoolnet

Design:JonatasBaptista,EuropeanSchoolnet.

SpecialthanksgotothefollowingeducatorsfortheirinvaluablecontributionoftheCaseStudies:

MariaChiaraPettenati,KairitTammets,JoTondeur

Pleasecitethispublicationas:

KayLivingston(2025)ExploringHowTeachersLearn,EuropeanSchoolnet,Brussels,Belgium.

PublishedinFebruary2025,thisreportisbasedonthe5thEuropeanSchoolnetAcademyThematicSeminarorganisedinFebruary2025.

Photos:StudioRomantic,SeventyFour,Fizkes,SydaProductions/

1.Contents

1ei:andingteacherlearningmatters

2Understandingthecomplexityofhowteacherslearn

3Keyinfluencesonteacherlearning.

3.1.

Theteacheraslearner:beliefs,motivationsandattitudesabout

learning.

3.2.

Schoolandwidereducationsystemandsocietalinfluenceson

teacherlearning.

3.3.

Theroleoftechnology:influencingteacherlearning.

3.4.

Learningthroughcommunity,reflection,andtechnology.

Casestudy1.

Leveragingteacherdesignteams.

Casestudy2.

Encouragingreflectivepracticethoughdigitalportfolios.

Casestudy3.

Combiningsituatedlearningelementswithsocial

learningpractices

4iiteiectiveprofessionallearningdevelopment

Suggestedpointsforteachereducatorstoconsideranddiscusswhen

designingprofessionaldevelopmentforteachers

Suggestedforpointsforteachereducatorstoconsiderindevelopingtheir

ownprofessionallearning.

5Referencelist

1.Introduction:why

understandingteacherlearningmatters

KayLivingstonisProfessorofEducationalResearch,PolicyandPracticeattheSchool

ofEducation,UniversityofGlasgow.Shehasworkedinthefieldofteachereducation

for35years.Sheworkscloselywithandadvisespolicymakers,teachersandkey

educationalstakeholdersatinternational,nationalandlocallevels.ShewasamemberoftheEuropeanCommission,sEducationandTrainingStrategicWorkingGroupon

SchoolsandshecontinuestoworkasanexpertonEuropeanCommissionandEuropeanSchoolnetprojects.ShehasbeenaChairandmemberofInternationalScientific

AdvisoryBoardsandInternationalEducationalSciencesEvaluationPanels.Shewasa

memberoftheAssociationforTeacherEducationinEurope,sAdministrativeCouncil,ChairoftheirResearchandDevelopmentCommunityontheProfessionalDevelopmentofTeachersandEditoroftheEuropean

JournalofTeacherEducation.Herareasofresearchinclude:teachereducation,professionaldevelopment,leadershipandmentoring;teacherandschoolleadercareerframeworks;innovationinteachingand

learning;anddigitalliteracies.

Thechangingandchallengingglobalcontext,

alongsiderapidtechnologicalchange,hascreatedtheneedfornewknowledge,skillsandvaluesand

differentpatternsoflivingandworking(Livingston,

2012).Inresponse,policyreformsineducation,

particularlyoverthelasttwodecades,have

increasedtheemphasisonimprovingschools,whichhasledtogreaterattentiononteacherquality,withtheaimofimprovingstudentlearning.Whatisevidentistheconstantpressuresforteacherstoadapt,

developandchangetheirlearningandteachingapproaches.

Sincechangedependsonteachers,and

effectiveteacherlearningleadstoimproved

knowledgeandskills,thenitbecomes

imperativetodevelopsustainedteacher

learningastheportalthroughwhichchange

andreformscanberealizedacrossnationaland

culturalboundaries.(KooyandvanVeen,2012,

p.xviii)

Thinkingabouthowteacherslearnandhowtheycanbestbesupportedinlearninghowtoteachincomplexanddiversesettingsisalsochangingand

developing(Livingston,2017).Internationally,ithas

beenrecognisedthat,nomatterhowgoodinitial

teachereducationis,itcannotprovideteacherswiththeknowledgeandskillstheyrequireforalifetime

ofteaching(OECD,2011).Itisacknowledgedthat

initialteachereducationisonlythestartofteacher

learningandthatteachersneedtoengageincareer-longlearningtocontinuallyupdateanddevelop

newknowledgeandskills.Thishaschangedpreviousnotionsoftheconceptofteachereducationas

somethingthattakesplaceonlyatthestartofa

teacher’scareers.Thisrequiresnewunderstandings

of‘teachersaslearners’,whorecognisethemselvesaslearnersnotonlyduringtheirinitialteacher

educationprogrammebutthroughouttheirentire

career.Italsomeansthatthemultipleidentitiesof

‘teachereducators’thatsupportteacherprofessionallearninginawiderangeofcontextsatdifferent

stagesofteachers’careerneedtoberecognised

(Livingston,2014).Inthisreport,teachereducators

areunderstoodasallthosewhosupportteacher

learninginteachereducationinstitutions,schoolsandprofessionaldevelopmentcentresandagencies,forexample.

ExploringHowTeachersLearn4

ExploringHowTeachersLearn5

Despitethegrowingawarenessoftheneedforcareer-longprofessionaldevelopment,questionsremainabouthowbesttosupportittomeetthediverselearningneedsofteachers.Overthe

lastthirtyyears,ahugeamountofresearchhas

investigateddifferentaspectsofteacherprofessionaldevelopmentfromvariousperspectives.Within

theresearchliteraturemanypossibilitiesregarding

whatisidentifiedasprofessionaldevelopmentare

suggested.Inrecentresearchstudies,definitions

suggestabroadunderstandingofprofessional

development,whichisindicativeofashiftfromthe

emphasismainlyonprovisionoftrainingactivitiesandevents‘deliveredto’teachers,towardsmorevariedopportunitiesandmoreparticipatoryapproaches

involvingteachersactivelyintheirownprofessionallearning.Thismeansprofessionaldevelopment

canbeunderstoodtoincludeexternallyorganisedactivities,school-basedactivitiesanddiverseotheropportunitiesforteacherlearning.Suchbroad

definitionssuggest,

Teachersexperienceavastrangeofactivities

andinteractionsthatmayincreasetheir

knowledgeandskillsandimprovetheirteaching

practice,aswellascontributetotheirpersonal,

social,andemotionalgrowthasteachers.These

experiencescanrangefromformal,structured

topic-specificseminarsgivenonin-servicedays,

toeveryday,informal‘hallway,discussionswith

otherteachers…(Desimone,2009,p.182).

Thisbroadcharacterisationindicatesthatteacher

learningcanoccurinmanydifferentwaysand

contexts.Theincreasingemphasisanduseofthe

conceptof‘teacherprofessionallearning’coincideswithanincreasingunderstandingofthecomplexityofteacherlearningandthatthedifferentlearning

needsofteachersrequiredifferentformsof

professionaldevelopment.Thisfocusonteacher

learningalsosignalsgreaterunderstandingof

teachers’ownroleandresponsibilityindeveloping

andchangingtheirpracticeandthegrowing

recognitionofthediversityofpossibilitiesforteacherlearning.Thisisinlinewithknowledgebeing

constructedbythelearnerthroughsocial

interactions.Forexample,thiscanincludeteacherscollaboratingwiththeircolleaguestoshare,co-

constructandextendlearning,engaginginjoint

reflectionof,onandinpractice(Sch?n,1987,1992),andparticipatinginactionresearchandenquiry

(NoffkeandSomekh,2013)withtheirstudentsorother

teacherstoinvestigateandtestoutvariousaspectsofeducationintheirownclassroomsandschools.

However,theoutcomesofprofessionaldevelopmentarenotalwaysdeemedtobesuccessfulby

policymakers,researchersorpractitioners,particularlywhenteacherlearningismeasuredonlyby

improvementinstudentlearningoutcomes.Researchhasalsoshownthatevenwhenshort-termsuccesseshavebeenidentified,professionaldevelopmenthasoftenbeenineffectualinsustainingteacherlearningthatleadstochangeinpractice(Guskey,2002;

Desimone,2009;OpferandPedder,2011,Mockler,2024).

Someconsensusregardingcorecharacteristics

ofeffectiveprofessionaldevelopmentthatare

neededtoenableteacherlearningandchange

havebeensuggestedbyresearchers(e.g.,Wilson

andBerne,1999;Borko,2004;Desimone,2009),

however,challengesinunderstandinghowteacherslearnbasedonthesecharacteristicsremain.For

example,OpferandPedder(2011)questionwhy

someresearchstudiesreportteachersattending

professionaldevelopmentactivitiesandopportunitiesbasedonthecharacteristicsidentifiedbutlearning

andchangedoesnotoccur.Theyalsoquestion

whysomeresearchstudiesreport,“someteachers

learnandchangeviaactivitiesthatdonothave

theidentifiedcharacteristicsofeffectiveness”

(Opfer&Pedder,2011,p.377).Thissuggeststhat

multipleinfluencesimpactonteacherlearningandthatnoteveryformofprofessionaldevelopment

isrelevantorhelpfultoallteachers(Avalos,2011).

Thismeansteachereducatorsplanningand/or

supportingteachers’professionaldevelopmentneedtogivegreaterconsiderationtotheindividualityof

teachersandtheircontext.Teachersbringdifferentknowledge,experiences,valuesandbeliefstotheirlearningandteachingapproachesandtheyworkindifferentlocalandschoolcontexts.Howoneteacherlearnsisunlikelytobethesameasanotherteacher.

ExploringHowTeachersLearn6

Theindividualityofeveryteacherandthemanyinteractingfactorsthatinfluencetheirlearningindifferentcombinationsofways,atdifferent

times,inawidevarietyofcontextsneedstobebetterunderstood.Thisindicatesthatthereis

notastraightforwardoruniversalanswertothe

questionofhowteacherslearn.Insummary,how

ateacherlearnsdependsonindividualteacher

characteristics,theirpersonalhistories,values,beliefsandmotivations;thecontextsinwhichtheylearn

andteach;andinfluencesfromthewidereducation

systemandsocietalcontexts.Howateacherlearnsinonecircumstanceoronaparticularday,individuallyorcollaboratively,willnotnecessarilybethesame

indifferentcircumstancesoronadifferentday.AsOpferandPedder,(2011,p.386)pointout,

Changecanoccurinoneareaofinfluence

butmaynotleadtochangeinanother.Thatis,

teachersmaychangetheirbeliefsbutnottheir

practices,maychangetheirpracticesbutnot

theirbeliefs,andultimatelymaychangetheir

practicebutnotthelearningoutcomesoftheir

students.

Withoutunderstandingmoreabouthowteachers

learnandthedynamicinfluencesontheirlearning,professionaldevelopmentcouldresultinlittleto

nobenefittoteachers(Kennedy,2019).Also,itis

necessaryforteachereducatorstounderstandmoreaboutthedifferenttypesandpurposesoflearning

andwhatformsofteacherprofessionaldevelopmentsupportteachersbestindifferentcontextsand

circumstances.

Advancesinlearningsciencesandinunderstandingabouthowpeoplelearn(e.g.,Dumont,Istance

andBenavides,2010),haveshedmorelightonthemanyfactorsinfluencinglearning.However,these

advancesneedtobegivengreaterattentioninthedesign,planningandimplementationofprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesforteachersandinthecreationofconditionsthatsupport,enableand

sustainteacherlearning.Darling-Hammondetal.

(2024,p.2)encourageteachereducatorstotake

advantageofthegrowingknowledgeaboutthe

scienceoflearninganddevelopmenttoexplore

thehowoflearning–thestrategiesforteacher

learningthatcanleadtodeepknowledge,skillsandunderstandingandsocial-emotionalcapacitiesthatenableteacherstoreflect,learn,anddeveloptheirindividualandcollectivepractice.

Thisreportisframedbythefollowingquestions:

●Whatdoteachereducatorsneedtoknowabouthowteacherslearn?

●Howdoesresearchconceptualisetheroleof

context,communityandtechnologyinshaping

teacherlearninganddevelopmentandwhat

implicationsdoesthishavefordesigningeffective

professionallearninganddevelopmentprogrammes?

Toaddressthesequestions,learningtheoriesare

reviewedbrieflytobetterunderstandthenature

andcomplexityofthelearningprocessandthe

conditionsthatinfluenceandareinfluencedby

theprocess.Theinfluencesofindividualteacher

characteristics,values,beliefsandpersonalhistoriesareexploredinmoredetail,aswellastheinfluence

oftheircontextsontheirlearning.Tounderstandmoreabouthowlearningtheoriesareappliedtoteacherlearninginpractice,researchliteratureisdrawn

ontoreflectcriticallyonframeworksofcommon

featuresofprofessionaldevelopmentthathavebeenidentifiedandhowtheymayormaynotinteract

andworktogetherinacumulativeway.Practical

examplesofteacherprofessionallearningarealso

outlinedinthreecasestudiestocontributetobetterunderstandingoftheroleofcontext,community

andtechnologyinshapingteacherlearningand

development.Inaddition,implicationsforteacher

educatorsdesigningandimplementingprofessionaldevelopmentandlearningareexploredandkey

pointsforteachereducatorstoconsiderfortheirownlearningaresuggested.

Itshouldbenotedthatwhileitisacceptedthat

therearedifferencesinlearningforteachersat

differentstagesoftheircareer,inthisshortreportitisnotpossibletoexaminethesespecificdifferencesindetail.Amoregeneralexplorationisprovidedofhowteacherslearnandtheinfluencesontheirlearning.

ExploringHowTeachersLearn7

2.Understandingthecomplexityofhowteacherslearn

Learningisacomplexindividualprocesswhich

happensthroughinteractionsbetweenpeople

andtheirenvironment.Researchersand

practitionershavetriedtounderstandwhat

constituteslearning,howlearninghappensand

howlearningcanbefostered,which,overtime,

hasledtodifferenttheoriestoexplainlearning.

(AhsanandSmith,2016,p.132)

Therearemanydifferentviewsabouthow

peoplelearn.Addedtothis,ourknowledge

andunderstandingoflearningchangesasnew

discoveriesaremadeaboutneurologicalprocesses,thediversityofindividualandcontextualinfluencesonlearning,andaboutthepossibilitiesofferedby

newtechnologiestoenableandsupportlearning.

Asnewtheoriesoflearninghaveemerged,

conceptionsoflearninghavedeveloped(Shuell,

2001).Researchstudiesutilisedifferenttheoriesand

approachestoinvestigateteacherlearning,suchasbehaviourist,cognitive,constructivistand

socioculturaltheories.Thesetheoriesareunderpinnedbydifferentviewsaboutknowingandhowwecometoknow.Also,theyplaceemphasisonandareusedtoinvestigatedifferenttypesandaspectsoflearning,aswellasthecircumstancesinwhichlearningoccurs.Mezirow(1978)identifiedaselectionofdifferenttypesoflearningincluding:learninghowtodosomething,learningaboutthewaysomethingworks,learning

whatothersexpectofyou,learninghowtocopein

relationshipswithothersandanticipatetheir

reactions,learninghowtodevelopasapersonandupholdcertainvalues.Forexample,teachers

learningaboutthetechnicalfunctionsofanewSmartScreenintheirclassroom,learnhowtoswitchiton,

whatfunctionsithasandhowtheyuploadmaterialtheywanttouse.Thistypeoftechnicallearningis

differentfromlearninghowtomakechangestotheirpedagogicalapproachestoutilisethedevicewiththeirstudentsinawaythatimprovestheirlearning

andisinlinewiththeexpectationsofparents,school

leadersandlocalandnationaleducationsystems.ItmayalsorequireteacherstolearnhowtomanageclassroombehaviourdifferentlytoenablestudentstointeractappropriatelywiththeSmartScreenand

sustaintheirmotivationtolearn.

Researchersmaydrawononetheory,toinvestigateaparticulartypeoraspectofteacherlearning,forexample,fromacognitiveperspectivefocusingonlearningtakingplacewhenanindividualismentallystimulatedinsomeway.Otherresearchersmay

takeamoreholisticapproachtolearningand

utiliseamulti-theoryapproach(Illeris,2018).For

example,emphasisingthatlearningiscognitive,

emotionalandsocial,andthataholisticapproachisneededtounderstandhowteacherslearnand

themanyinfluencesandrelationshipsthatimpactontheirlearningprocesses.Inrelationtothe

exampleabove,whenateacherislearningaboutthetechnicaldetailsofanewSmartdevice,they

mayfeelanxiousbecausetheybelievetheylack

technologyskillsandmayworryabouthowtheywilluseitconfidentlywithstudents.AsTimperley(2008,p.15)reports,“Expectationsforchangecantouchrawnervesifteacherstakethemasreflectionson

theircompetenceorchallengestotheirprofessionalidentity”.Theseemotionalfactorsimpacton

andmediatehowteacherslearn.Furthermore,teachersmaynotfeelconvincedthattheuseofaSmartScreenwillenablestudentstolearnmore

ExploringHowTeachersLearn8

effectivelythanthelearningapproachesthattheyalreadyhaveinplace.Suchfeelingsmayimpactontheirviewsabouttechnologyingeneralandtheir

motivationandwillingnesstoengageinprofessionaldevelopmentrelatedtoitsusetoenhancelearning.

Thedevelopmentofconstructivistandsocioculturaltheoriesoflearningmeansthatknowledgeisno

longerviewedassomethingonlytransmitted

byteacherstostudents.Thedevelopmentof

learningwithotherpeoplewithinasocialcontext

isrecognisedaswellasthroughinteractionwith

varioustoolsandartifacts(Shuill,2001).Themultipleexamplesintheresearchliteratureofteachers

learningwithcolleaguesinschoolface-to-faceandthroughonlinecommunitiesoflearners,demonstratestheriseinprofessionaldevelopmentopportunities

thatrecognisethevalueoflearningthrough

collaboration,reflectionandco-constructionofnewideasandapproacheswithothers.Forexample,

Postholm(2012)reviewedresearchstudiestoexplorehowin-serviceteacherslearntogetherbydrawingoncognitiveandconstructivisttheories.Sheexplains,

Thesocialsurroundingsplayaroleinhowa

humandevelopswithinthecognitivistparadigm,

buttheindividualisintheforegroundfromthis

perspective.Withintheconstructivistparadigm,

thesocialsurroundingsareseenasdecisive

forhowtheindividuallearnsanddevelops.

Individualsconstructknowledgeandlearn

throughmediatedactsintheencounterwith

oneormorepersonsandthesurroundingsin

whichtheyliveandact(p.406).

Differenttheoriescanassistusinunderstanding

anddevelopingdifferenttypesoflearningand

differentapproaches.Shuill(2001)pointsout,“to

fullyunderstandlearning,onemustrealizethata

particulartheorymayprovideagoodexplanationoflearninginonesituationbutapoorexplanation

oflearninginadifferentsituation”(pp.8614–8615).Teachereducatorswhoenableandsupportteacherlearningneedtohaveabetterunderstandingoftherangeofdifferenttheoreticalperspectivesandhowdifferentapproachesarerelevantatparticulartimesforteachersdependingonwhathastobelearned,

whyandinwhatcircumstances.Theyalsoneedto

beawareoftheirownviewsandtheoriesoflearningandhowtheymayinfluencethedecisionstheytakeabouthowbesttoenableandsupportteacher

learning.

Illeris(2007)suggestsanadequatelearningtheory

mustconsider“thehumanbeingasawhole,both

therationalandthesubjectmattercontentandtheincentiveandemotionalsidesand,notleast,alltheinteractionsbetweenthem”(p.76).Heidentifiesthreedimensionsoflearning(Illeris,2007,2018):

●acquisitionofcontentdimension(whatisbeing

learned-e.g.,knowledge,skills,opinions,meanings,values,behaviours),whichheidentifiesasprimarilyacognitiveprocess;

●incentivetolearndimension(e.g.,motivation,

emotions,feelings,interest),whichheidentifiesasanemotionalprocess;and

●anenvironmentdimension(influencesofthe

immediatelearningsituationandmoregeneral

culturalandsocietalconditions),whichheidentifiesassocialprocesses.

Thesethreedimensionsoflearningandthemultiple

anddynamicinteractionsbetweenthemhighlight

thecomplexityofunderstandinghowteacherslearnandunderlinethechallengesforteachereducatorsinknowinghowbesttosupportteachersintheir

learning.Thiscomplexityabouthowpeoplelearn

explainswhyresearchersdrawondifferenttheoricalperspectivesonlearningandwhytherehasbeen

aproliferationofresearchstudiesinvestigatingthe

manywaysteacherslearn.Thesestudiesprovideanillustrationofa‘smorgasbordofpossibilities’forvarioustypesofteacherlearningfordifferentpurposes.

Thenextsectionexploresfurthertheinfluencesofteacherbeliefs,motivationsandattitudesontheirlearningandtheconditionsthatmayenableorhindertheirlearning.

ExploringHowTeachersLearn9

Keypoints:

Howteacherslearniscomplex.Differenttheoriescanassistteachereducators,inunderstandingdifferenttypesoflearninganddifferentapproachesforprofessionaldevelopment.

Aholisticapproachtoteacherlearningoffersteachereducatorswithahelpfulframetoconsiderthewhatoflearning(e.g.subjectmattercontent),theincentivesforlearning(e.g.,thewhyoflearning/purposeoftheprofessionaldevelopment/teachermotivationforlearning)andemotionalaspects(e.g.,howtheteacherfeelsaboutlearningandaboutengaginginprofessionallearning)andalltheinteractionbetweenthem.

Reflectivequestions:

HowdoesIlleris,threedimensionsoflearningassistyou,asateachereducator,tothinkabouthowyoulearn?

Howmightreflectiononthethreedimensionsoflearninghelpyou,asateachereducator,designandplanprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesforteachers?

ExploringHowTeachersLearn10

3.Keyinfluencesonteacherlearning

3.1.Theteacheraslearner:beliefs,motivationsandattitudesaboutlearning

Teachershavedifferentexperiencesandcannot

beconsideredahomogenousgroupwhenit

comestopersonalcharacteristicsandbeliefsaboutknowledge,learningandteaching.Multiplestudies(e.g.,Brownleeetal.,1998;Brownlee,2003;Chai

etal.,2009;Chengetal.,2009;FivesandGil,2015)concerningdifferentinfluencesonteachers’beliefs,demonstratethatitisfarfromstraightforwardto

makesenseofhowbeliefsandpastandpresentexperiencescombineandinfluenceteachers’

learningandtheeffectivenessofprofessional

development.FivesandBuehl(2016)provideanexampleofthechanginginfluencesofateachers’beliefs.

Teachers,beliefsaboutthenatureofscienceas

adomainofstudyaremorelikelysalientwhen

readingaboutclimatechangeordevelopinga

lessonplanonelectricalcircuits,thanaretheir

beliefsaboutpoetry.However,whenengaged

inlessonplanning,teachersmustactivelythink

aboutcontent,pedagogy,andstudents,so

thatthesethreecorebeliefsmaybeevoked

andworkinconjunctionorconflictduringtask

completion(p.115).

WhileFivesandGill(2015)agreethatteachers’

beliefsplayafundamentalroleineducation,they

arecriticalofresearcherswhoonlyaddressteacherbeliefsaspartoftheirstudyofothersubjects.For

example,somestudiesexplorequestionsconcerningtheextenttowhichteachers’beliefsabout

knowledge,learningandteachinginaspecificareaofthecurriculum,suchasmathematics,impactsontheirclassroompractice,butnotspecificallyonhowteachersthemselveslearn.

Teacherscanholdbeliefsabout:

●whatknowledgeisnecessaryandimportantforstudentstolearn,whichcanresultinthembeing

selectiveinwhatsubjectcontenttheyprioritiseandemphasisewiththeirstudents;

●howstudentslearnbest,resultinginthemfavouringmoreteacher-centredormorestudent-centred

pedagogicalapproaches;

●students’abilitytolearn,whichmayimpactonhowtheyinteractwithandincludeparticularstudentsin

classroomactivities.

Thesebeliefsindifferentcombinationsmayinfluenceteachers’motivationsandattitudestowardstheir

ownlearningtogreaterorlesserextentsatdifferenttimesandcircumstances.Thismakesitdifficultfor

teachereducatorssupportingteachers’professionaldevelopmenttodisentangletheimpactofthe

influenceofateacher’sparticularbeliefontheir

learningandidentifywhycertainformsofprofessionaldevelopmentappeartoenable,hinderorblocktheirlearning.Furthermore,theinteractionofateacher’sbeliefaboutsomethingwithhowtheycametoholdthatbeliefcreatesapowerfulcombinationwhich

maydeterminewhatteachersarewillingtolearn,

(OpferandPedder,2011)andtheextenttowhich

theyareopentochange.Forexample,ifateacher’sbeliefabouttheirownself-efficacyregardingtheir

digitalcompetencywasnegativelyaffectedina

previousexperienceofattemptingtousetechnologywithstudents,thismaythenimpactontheirown

willingnesstolearnaboutandusenewtechnology

intheirclassroom.ShulmanandShulman(2004)

identifiedwillingnessandmotivationastwoimportantfeaturesoflearningintheirresearchexploringhow

teacherslearn.Theyarguethatteachersneedtobeready,able,willingandmotivatedtolearnandto

changetheirpractice.

Asadultlearners,teachersbringtheirownframeof

referencetolearningwhichinfluencesandfilterstheirviews(Mezirow,1997)andmaysupportorhindertheirprofessionallearning.

ExploringHowTeachersLearn11

‘Framesofreference,arestructuresof

assumptionsthroughwhichweunderstandour

experiences.Theyselectivelyshapeanddelimit

expectations,perceptions,cognitionsand

feelings.Theyset‘ourlineofaction,.(Mezirow,

1997,p.5)

Thewayteachers(includingteachereducators)

understandandusenewinformationislikelytobe

shapedbytheextenttowhichitisconsistentwith

theirexistingunderstandingandassumptions.BuehlandBeck(2015)recognisethatsomebeliefsthat

teacherspossessmaybedeeplyembeddedand

longstandingbeliefs,whileothersmaychange

withexperienceorthroughaparticularcatalyst

forlearning.Thishighlightstheneedforteacher

educatorstoengagewithteachersasindividual

learnersan