The Transfer of Teacher Training to Inclusive Classroom Practice: A Meta-Analytic SEM Approach

Abstract

Teachers require support to implement inclusive education effectively, and teacher training is a key to providing this support cost-effectively. However, while education research has established theories on student learning, there is still a lack of understanding regarding how teachers learn and integrate new ideas, making it essential to investigate the transfer process to improve the implementation of school reforms. The many overlapping theories on teachers’ learning in in-service training, as presented in the literature, have been summarized here in five models. These five models were tested regarding their fit to empirical data in secondary analyses using meta-analytic SEM. The literature search revealed 228 studies that met the inclusion criteria, comprising 244 samples and 117,609 participating teachers and students. Only one model had an acceptable model fit. This model is characterized by the assumption that teacher training affects willingness to change, which in turn influences the subsequent transfer process. Further research should be theory-based, testing theories using primary data, particularly in the context of willingness to change.