Theoritical perspective and practices or how theory can enhance educational practice

Change in educator's view

Under the influence of sociocultural ideas, my view about human mind has changed from the ‘local-mind’ that is determined with gifts and deficiencies towards the ‘non-local’ mind that is agentive, flexible and with incredible developmental possibilities.

Practical implications:
This theoretical reorientation could enhance my practice by foregrounding the necessity to provide students with plenty learning opportunities. Any differences in capabilities should not be understood as constrains, but as opportunities to discover different learning trajectories.

The assessment practices that were previously focusing on individual achievement and on several stable learning outcomes could also change in order to focus on the various learning pathways and on the different forms of evolving competence. Nevertheless, it should not be expected all the students to reach the same level of expertise. Yet, the fundamental concern should be to provide rich and fair learning opportunities to all learners.

Change in educator's view

Under the influence of sociocultural ideas the distinctions between ‘learning’ and ‘doing’, ‘creating’ and ‘using knowledge’, ‘formal’ and ‘informal’ education, have becomes less polarized.
Practical implications:
This theoretical reorientation could enhance my practice by revealing the importance of those activities that take place in everyday life, like working, shopping, cooking, etc, offering a great inspiration for new learning activities.

Change in my view: 

The cultural tools, either cognitive or physical, are social means by which human thought is developed. People by engaging in joint activities accommodate their thinking and actions to the functions and limitations of the available tools. Thus, the relationship between tools and human mind is two-sided and any activity is influenced both by the individual interaction and the mediation of new tools.

Practical implications:

This theoretical enrichment could also enhance my practice, by foregrounding the necessity to enrich the long-established and outmoded practices with new tools, inspired from youth and other niche cultures.

Change in my view: 

Under the influence of sociocultural ideas my view about learning has changed from the notion of ‘subject learning’ towards the notion of ‘enculturation in a community of practice’ and the notion of ‘becoming a particular type of person by moving from the peripheral to central participation’.

Practical implications:

 This theoretical reorientation could enhance my practice by turning my focus to those activities that support students to build their identity as future professionals and to feel as evolving member of the community of practitioners.

Change in my view: 

Under the influence of sociocultural ideas my view about practice has changed from the notion of practice as an individual action towards the notion of practice as an interaction and a social engagement in shared enterprises. Moreover, I’ve understood that meaning emerges only between people, and not in isolation, while what is appropriated is this shared meaning between individuals. 

Practical implications:

This theoretical reorientation could enhance my practice by highlighting the significance of group working and by turning my focus to those activities that encourage communication and collaboration between the participants.