Teacher Professional Learning: Building Expertise Over a Teaching Career

Abstract

In studies of expert teachers, professional learning is central to the development of advanced practice. Studies of veteran teachers illustrate the relationship between professional learning and accomplished practice particularly in bringing about change and improvement of practice. A model of professional learning is offered and consideration is given to studies on the development of expertise. Two specific aspects are examined: firstly, deliberate practice and the development of accomplished performance and secondly, collective expertise, tacit knowledge and the importance of an interactional dimension to expertise. Professional learning communities are considered as a method of building collective expertise.