Activity-Theoretical Research on Science Teachers' Expertise and Learning

Abstract

Teachers serve as critical mediators of student learning. As such, teachers' expertise and learning remain important foci for theoretical development and empirical research. Cultural- historical activity theory (CHAT) has been forwarded as an underutilized but potentially powerful tool for educational research, including teachers' expertise, practice, and learning. However, as yet, little CHAT-based research has been undertaken focused on science teachers and teaching. In this paper, we draw upon two such empirical studies in which CHAT was used as an explicit theoretical and analytical framework to explore CHAT-based perspectives on science teacher learning. We present findings from these studies to highlight important themes in CHAT-based research on science teachers' learning in and from practice. These findings can not only inform programmatic efforts to better promote teachers' learning, but also theoretical perspectives on science teachers' expertise, practice, and learning across the science education and learning sciences communities.