Learning Theories. Their Influence on Teaching Methods

Seminar paper from the year 2013 in the subject Pedagogy - Pedagogic Psychology, grade: B+, University of Dar es Salaam (SCHOOL OF EDUCATON), course: MASTER OF SCIENCE (SCIENCE EDUCATION), language: English, abstract: In this paper the concept of teacher development is well examined, and theories pertaining to it are also linked to. There are some important terms that need clarification and defining before the concept is explored in deep. The reasons why some terms are worth clarifying is the need for shared understanding. The absence of shared (common) understanding threatens construct validity, and difficulty in identifying teacher development process.
Development is a process that involves change from a primitive state to a more advanced one. The United Nations Development Programme uses a more detailed definition and according to them development is to lead long and healthy lives, to be knowledgeable, to have access to the resources needed for a decent standard of living and to be able to participate in the life of the community. Human development can be viewed as freeing people from obstacles that affect their ability to develop their own lives and communities. Development is about empowerment, it is about people taking control of their own lives, expressing their own demands and finding their own solutions to their problems
Teacher development is a process whereby teachers' professionality and/or professionalism may be considered to be enhanced (Evans, 2002). This is to say that the process of teacher development is about both the status and attitude towards the profession. Professionalism is about the status of the profession and in this regard it is about developing teachers' status professionally. Professionality is about the attitude towards the profession and in this regard it is about developing positive attitude towards it. Evans (2002) asserts that teacher development process may enhance the status of the profession as a whole and improve teachers' knowledge, skills, and practice.
A profession refers to an occupation that requires specialised education, knowledge, training and ethics whose members earn their living from what they do and are expected to meet and maintain common standards (WiseGeek, 2012). Generally a profession is an occupation, vocation and/or high status career usually involving prolonged academic training, formal qualification and/or membership of a profession or regulatory body.