Linking Practice and Theory

Although the idea of the reflective practitioner is embraced by many, there is still a need to understand how teachers' practical experience and the theoretical insights of researchers can be linked in teacher education. This book offers a framework for addressing this problem. It brings together 15 years of experience in teacher education and research, based on Korthagen's concept of "e;realistic teacher education"e; which is well known in Europe and gaining interest in North America. Set up as a journey back and forth between practice and theory, this book is not only about linking them but models how it can be done, providing both practical solutions and research-based theoretical foundations. Linking Practice and Theory: The Pedagogy of Realistic Teacher Education: * serves as a guidebook for teacher educators, with many practical ideas and guidelines; * prepares the reader for a fundamental shift in thinking about teacher education; and * uses an international perspective in analyzing real, practical experience in teacher education, in the Netherlands and in other countries.