Closing the gap between the theory and practice of teaching: implications for teacher education programmes in Hong Kong

TLDR

The theory–practice gap in teaching is a recognized concern, yet few studies have examined it in Hong Kong. The study investigates contemporary Asian teacher education models by examining inconsistencies between student teachers' ideal and actual teaching strategies, and identifying factors that could close the theory–practice gap. The authors conducted a qualitative study of student teachers, analyzing interview data to identify considerations and programme factors affecting teaching strategy choices. Interviews revealed that pre‑training experience, teaching context, and student needs drive inconsistencies in teaching conceptions, with programme influences potentially mitigating the gap and informing improvements.

Abstract

The gap between the theory and practice of teaching is an issue of concern in teacher education. Although researching this gap is not new, few studies have been conducted in Hong Kong. It is worth investigating the contemporary Asian models of teacher education that can provide reference to the international literature. This paper examines this theory–practice gap by reporting a study that researched the inconsistencies between student teachers' best teaching strategies and their most commonly employed ones. Specifically, we investigated: (1) the considerations that contribute to the inconsistencies in the student teachers' conceptions of teaching; and (2) the enhancing factors of the teacher education programme which help to close the gap between the theory and practice of teaching. Through examining the interview data, the findings revealed three main dimensions of consideration attributing to the inconsistencies in the conceptions of teaching: pre‐training experience, teaching context and student needs. These considerations lead to expansive or constraining impacts on the student teachers' selections of teaching strategies. Influences from the teacher education programme that might close this gap are identified. Implications for improving teacher education programmes are also discussed.