Teacher Theorising, Intellectual Resources and Praxis Intentionality

Abstract

There is increasing interest among academics about reflection ‘in’, ‘on’, and ‘about’ action in educational practices. There are few empirical findings about the significance to teachers of ‘intellectual resources’ for education (Carr, 1995) that are ‘socially useful’ (Anyon, 1994). A case study is presented of postgraduate teachers' reflexive struggles with a dissatisfying workplace problem. Of particular interest is the development of teachers' thinking about the ‘embodied’ and ‘embedded’ (Fay, 1987) nature of personal and collegial involvement in the ‘crisis’ circumstances of educational change. The case study reveals each teacher's theorising of those circumstances and how they intend to redeem ‘locally’ and ‘particularly’ certain elements of the problematic situation. Teachers' praxis intentions are ‘voiced’ interpretively within Fay's critical but postmodern ‘limits’ to rationality and change thesis. The case study provides grounds for optimism about the relation of intellectual resources, modes of inquiry in postgraduate studies and socially‐useful theory building in education.