Educational ideals and classroom realities: Developing teachers' concepts of dialogic pedagogy in real-world contexts

Abstract

Professional learning processes aim to change teachers' pedagogical concepts, yet this process is obscure and understudied. Building on a conceptual change perspective, this study explored teachers’ concepts of dialogic pedagogy that emerged during professional development. The year-long process included 17 teachers, coaches, and researchers codesigning dialogic language arts lessons. Thematic analysis was used to map teachers' concepts and to investigate forces shaping them. Findings show teachers' concepts are embedded within classroom affordances and constraints and are influenced by broader educational contexts. Implications for teacher conceptual change include emphasizing pedagogical tensions, advancing practice-oriented designs, and adapting academic concepts to classroom contexts.