Experienced Teachers' Informal Learning: Learning Activities and Changes in Behavior and Cognition

Source: Teaching and Teacher Education, Volume 25, Issue 5, pages 663-673 (July 2009).

In this study, the authors examined 32 teachers' learning in an informal learning environment. The authors analyzed changes in conceptions and behavior regarding students' active and self-regulated learning (ASL), and relations with the teachers' learning activities. Few relations were found between observed changes in behavior and learning activities. Changes in conceptions appeared to correlate with the activities obtaining new ideas, experimenting with new methods, and reflecting on why certain teaching methods seem to be effective and others not. Only one teacher became more ASL-oriented in both behavior and conceptions. The apparent variation in teachers' informal learning should lead to differentiated support for teacher learning in the workplace.