Living educational theory research in the self-study of teacher-education professional practices

Huxtable, Marie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1808-0670 and Whitehead, Jack ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9644-0785 (2025) Living educational theory research in the self-study of teacher-education professional practices. In: 21st Biennial Conference of the International Study Association on Teachers & Teaching, 30 June - 4 July 2025, University of Glasgow, UK. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Research aim: To provide evidence that a Living Educational Theory Research approach, to the professional learning of self-study, teacher-education researchers, has generated original contributions to the global knowledge base of teacher education. The originality includes a unit of appraisal, standards of judgement and logic that determines the rationality of explanations of educational influences in learning.

Theoretical frameworks: These are provided by the original contributions to knowledge provided in over 50 Living Theory doctorates of self-study researchers who have explored the implications of asking, researching and answering questions of the kind, ‘How do I improve my professional practice?’. These explanations include insights from other theoretical frameworks such as the philosophy, psychology, sociology and history of education.

Methods: These include the methods described by Tidwell et al. (2009) in research for the Self-Study of Practice. An addition to these methods is defined as empathetic resonance with digital visual data. This was developed for Living Educational Theory Research. It enabled the clarification and communication of the embodied values used by self-study researchers as explanatory principles in their explanations of educational influences in their own learning, in the learning of others and in the learning of the social formations within which the professional practice is located.

Findings: These are focused on a definition of professionalism that includes both meeting criteria set by the professional’s professional body, and the acceptance of a professional responsibility for researching one’s own professional learning in inquiries of the kind, ‘How do I improve the educational influences in my professional practice?’, and making public the valid, evidence-based and values-laden explanations of educational influences in learning.

Relevance: The embodied values of the self-study researchers include and explain connections between quality teaching, equity, and socially just classrooms in the generation of each individual’s living-educational-theory.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Departments:	Institute of Education > Non-Initial Teacher Education
Additional Information:	Marie Huxtable, Visiting Research Fellow, University of Cumbria, UK. Jack Whitehead, Visiting Professor, University of Cumbria, UK and North-West University, South Africa.
Depositing User:	Anna Lupton
Date Deposited:	17 Sep 2025 10:56
Last Modified:	17 Sep 2025 11:00
URI:	https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/9044

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