PG CERT PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AND PEDAGOGY
MODULE 1 THEORETICAL TERRAIN
The following is a very general outline summarizing some theories relating to this module. This outline is only an overview; all
theorists, ideas, and concepts are not included.
Because human behaviour is complex and the educational practice is emergent, numerous theories are utilized and apply to
practice at the micro-meso-macro levels. The theories below broadly relate to human growth, learning, leadership and
organisational development. All theories come out of a socio-economic and historical or policy context. Thus, all theories should be
critiqued with attention paid to their coherence, relevance or utility. There are more specialist theories relating to pedagogy,
learning or assessment that you may wish to research and add to this template, particularly theories that may relate very specifically
to your proposed area of research. Feel free to use this template as a dynamic tool to help you frame your own theoretical
perspective. There is a section at the end of the grid for you to articulate your own theory of pedagogy which some of the theories
outlined here may inform.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Dimension— a feature that can be focused on separately, but can only be understood in relation to other related dimensions (at
the heart of propositions within ‘systems theory’ or ‘complexity theory’).
Paradigm— an archetype or mode of thought; a specific way of seeing the world and the rules in operation.
Practice model— a view or way of working operationalizes theory; includes concrete actions, techniques or praxis.
Perspective— an emphasis or point of view; concepts at a higher level of abstraction (e.g. ‘child centred pedagogy as a
perspective on learning’ or a ‘the child development perspective’)
Theory— interrelated set of concepts and propositions, organized into a deductive system to explain relationships about certain
aspects of the world and the rules of engagement (e.g. complexity theory, systems theory, leadership theory, learning theory).
(Note: some theories have more well-developed practice models than others)
Sources: Hutchison, E. D. (2003). Dimensions of human behaviour: Person and environment (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Robbins, S., Chatterjee, P., & Canda, E. (Eds.) (2005).
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THEORY
Knowledge
Creation
FOCUS
Schools as
knowledge
creating systems:




Design
Thinking
PROPOSITIONS
Research and inquiry as a driver
for new knowledge

Epistemology
Co-created
knowledge
Knowledge
ecosystems
Knowledge
creation,
distribution
and validation
Solutions based
approach to
problem solving
 Focus on
outcomes and
impact
 Ideographs
 What is the
abstraction?
Hargeaves, D
(1999; 2000;
2012; 2013)
Schools as research active
Hargreaves, A
(1992; 1996;
2009)

Teachers as research
practitioners

Evidence driving change

THEORISTS
Wenger (1998;
2000;
Teachers as change agents

Joint practice and
collaborative inquiry
 A large part of design thinking
involves defining and
understanding ‘wicked issues’
 Design thinking involves a
synthesis of new ideas around a
well researched challenge
 Out-of-the box thinking leading
to new, creative solutions
 Negative criticism and closed
mind-sets are challenges for the
Design Thinker
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Brown (2009)
Martin (2009)
Boland &
Callopy (2004)
Simon (1996)
Koberg &
Bagnall (1972)
USEFULNESS
Teachers and
schools
generating,
codifying,
publishing and
validating new
practice
knowledge
Research
generating new
knowledge and
solutions
 Focus on Impact
 Opportunity for
new solutions
 Innovation
potential
 Interface with
leadership
APPLICATION
Social
Learning
Theory
Leadership
Theory
Complexity
Theory and
Change
Theories of
Innovation
Social and
constructivist
definitions of
learning
 Social
learning
systems
 Issues of
identity and
modes of
belonging
 Cognition
enable
adaptation &
organization
3 main categories
of theory:
1. Behavioural
Theories
2. Situational
Theories
3. Relationship
Theories
Modes of belonging –
engagement; imagination;
alignment
Communities of practice –
learning energy; social capital;
self-awareness
Boundaries – coordination;
transparency; negotiability
Identities – connectedness;
expansiveness; effectiveness
Wenger (1998;
2000;
Goleman (1996)
Piaget (1926)
Mayer (2005)
Bandura (1977)
Importance of
collegiality,
reciprocity,
expertise,
negotiation and
contribution to a
learning agenda
that may be bigger
than a single
organisation.
1. Great leaders are born not
made – heroic leadership
2. Leadership style depends on
the situation and needs to be
flexible – leadership styles
3. Leadership can be learned
and is about relationships –
transformational and
distributed leadership
Senge (1990)
Collins (2001)
Heifetz et al.
(2009)
Fullan (2008)
O’Brien et al.
(2006)
Macbeath
(2003)
Self-organising
systems
 Non-linearity
 Interconnecte
dness
 Emergence
 Chaos theory
 Fractals

Non linear systems and
feedback loops
Sensitive dependence on
initial conditions
Small interventions and big
effects
The Butterfly Effect
Iterative systems
Knowledge management
Gleick (1987)
Lorenz (1969)
Nonaka &
Takeucki (1995)
Great leaders build Fullan – leadership for
capacity for
change
change, adaptation
and innovation.
http://www.slideshare.
net/WSU/six-secretsLeadership is
of-change-fullan
premised on
discrete
http://www.youtube.co
disciplines.
m/watch?v=1vxU7O75
zkA
 Schools as part
of economic
social, political
systems
 Networked
learning
 Pupil identity as
part of multiple
communities
Redesigning
systems to co-

Global access to resource
(talent) to co-create
Prahalad &
Krishnan (2008)





3

Focus is on
needs of
create value
 Connecting all
parts of an
organisation
to the process
of co-created
value
 Improving
flexibility and
efficiency
 Measuring
performance
through smart
analytics
Systems
Theory
How persons
interact within
a whole
system:
- subsystems
impact other
parts and
whole system














personalised learning for
individuals
R=G and N=1
(R=G: access to global or
community talent; N=1:
Personalised co-created
learning)
Social architecture of the
organisation (school)
Technical architecture of the
organisation (school)
Concepts of co-creation and
co-design as adding value
Open innovation through
networks
Self-improving, self-regulating
education system
Schools as ‘learning’
organisations
Self-regulating systems
Feedback loops
Dynamic processes of
adaptation and change
Coherence
Team learning
Links and loops
Knowledge transfer
Pedagogical
Theory
Map your own
pedagogical
theory
Theory of
Context
Map your own
theory of context
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Chesborough
(2003)


Simon (1996)
Capra (1975)
Senge (1990)
Heifetz et al.
(2009)



individuals
Personalising
learning
through cocreated design
that takes
account of
individual
learner needs
leveraging
community
resource and
talent through
open
innovation
Can be applied
to social &
organisational
systems
Enables us to
think about
schools as
‘learning
systems’
Communicating
and codifying
knowledge
Heifetz
http://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=QfLLDvn0pI8
Senge
http://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=68unIDHgW
hY
Below is a summary of other related theories that you may wish to explore further.
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THEORY
SOCIAL EXCHANGE
THEORY
Rational Choice
Perspective
FOCUS
How persons
minimize costs and
maximize rewards
through social
exchange
PROPOSITIONS
Self-interest
determines social
exchange
THEORISTS
USEFULNESS
Homans (1958)
Blau (1964)
Basis for costbenefit analyses
Rorty (1979)
Berger and
Enhances
understanding of
individual and
cultural
connections and
cultural narratives
Unequal
resources
determine power
inequities and
reciprocity is
essential
Six propositions:
1. Success
2. Stimulus
3. Value
4. Deprivation
5. Aggression
6. Rationality
SOCIAL
CONSTRUCTIONISM
Social Constructionist
Perspective
How socio-cultural
and historical
contexts shape
individuals and
the creation of
knowledge
How individuals
create themselves
All experience is
subjective
Human beings recreate selves
through dynamic,
adaptive
processes
Knowledge is
created
through an
interplay of social
and historical
forces
Social
interaction is
grounded in
language,
6
Luckmann
(1966)
Development of
identities through
constructive,
dynamic
processes
Practice as mutual
exchange
APPLICATION
customs,
cultural and
historical
contexts
*All phenomenon,
including the
sciences, must be
approached with
doubt in
order to understand
how
people construct
reality
*Humans are selfinterpreting beings
SYMBOLIC
INTERACTIONISM
Social Constructionist
Perspective
Subjective
meanings that
individuals impose
on events,
situations and
living
Dramaturgy
Impression
management
CONTINGENCY
THEORY
Systems Perspective
How individuals &
groups gain power,
access to resources
& control over their
lives, often through
collective action
We act according
to how we define
our situation /
context
Mead (1934)
The ‘self’ as a
social process
Goffman (1959)
Power of
subjective
meaning
Individuals assume
personas in
enacting social /
professional roles
The presentation of
self in everyday life
Groups are open,
dynamic
systems with both
change and
conflict present
Weber (1904)
Resource
dependence theory
Pfeffer &
Salancik
(1978)
Theory of
communicative
action
7
Habermas
(1986)
Collective
action
Access to
resources as
a strategic
focus in
determining
partnerships
Resource
dependency theory
http://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=r5fltPKz
vzU
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