The Influence of Teacher Education on Teachers' Beliefs about Purposes of Education, Roles, and Practice:

Infusion of social constructivist theory into teacher education has prompted focus on change in teachers' cognition and thought processes with teachers creating their own socially constructed teaching (Buchmann, 1986; Buchman & Floden, 1990; Cochran, De Ruiter, & King, 1993; Condon, Clyde, Kyle, & Hovda, 1993; Schon, 1987; Zeichner & Gore, 1990). Teacher education has no unified conception of constructivism (Black & Ammon, 1992; Mosenthal & Ball, 1992; O'Loughlin, 1992). However, constructivist educators agree teacher change requires learning opportunities supporting in-depth examination of educational theories and practices in light of teachers' beliefs and experiences if they are to help pupils develop conceptual understandings of subject matters and a critical view of education. Several conditions are necessary for the development of learning opportunities allowing teachers freedom to develop new understandings of teaching and learning. A necessary point of departure is the development of a theoretical view of learning to guide teacher education in which knowledge, curriculum, and learning are socially constructed; the curriculum and instruction are discipline based; the focus is on teachers' and children's sense making; and authority is socially accorded (Cochran et al., 1993; Condon et al., 1993; Schon, 1987; Zeichner & Gore, 1990). Constructivist teacher education requires learning opportunities that encourage reflection, dialogue, critical thinking, knowledge ownership, and understanding in context and within learning communities (Black & Ammon, 1992; Cochran et al., 1993; Condon et al., 1993; Mosenthal & Ball, 1992; O'Loughlin, 1992; Zeichner & Gore, 1990). This reconceptualization of teacher education requires the creation of norms of discourse, which provide cohesiveness of purpose and facilitate constructive dialogue about teaching and learning within and across learning communities. Constructivist-oriented approaches often require teacher education students and teacher educators to engage in dialogue, reflection, and inquiry and are more likely to influence teacher change in desired directions. Why Is Changing Teachers' Beliefs Important to Teacher Education? Purposes of education may shape teachers' beliefs about what is appropriate in teaching and teachers' conceptions about their professional role. Conceptions of their role may, in turn, shape their teaching practice (Buchmann, 1986). Reflecting and attempting to understand how their beliefs influence their teaching are critical to teachers' development and change in role conceptions and teaching practices. Little empirical evidence exists in the teacher education literature on the influence of teacher education on teachers' values and beliefs. Consensus exists that teacher education has little effect on altering teachers' beliefs (Weinstein, 1989) and that changes in practices do not necessarily accompany changes in beliefs (Prawat, 1992) and that changes in practices and beliefs do not necessarily generalize across the teaching of different subject matters. Preservice teachers' previous experience as pupils, the apprenticeship of observation, and schools' organization and culture have more influence than formal teacher education in shaping their teaching (Lortie, 1975). Some researchers find that positive change depends on attention to teachers' previous beliefs, attitudes, and experiences (Florio-Ruane & Lensmire, 1990) and that meaningful change in instruction entails fundamental change in what teachers know and believe. The question of whether teacher education can alter teachers' beliefs is important for empirical research and relevant to teacher education policy. In this article, I explore beliefs of teacher educators and teacher education students regarding education's purposes, teachers' professional role, and teaching practice, and the degree to which teacher education shapes these beliefs. …