How does experience affect theoretical knowledge for teaching?

In this paper, I examine the literature on novice-expert shifts in teachersʹ knowledge from the perspective of constructivist learning theory and with a view to identifying lessons for teacher educators. I argue that current accounts of the novice-expert shift lack both a theory of knowledge acquisition and a theory of knowledge utilisation in teaching: there are descriptions of the differences between novices and experts but no accounts as to how the changes come about: there are accounts of what teachers know but no accounts as to the utility of this knowledge to studentsʹ learning. I suggest that this is not a sound basis for planning initial teacher education programmes. I recharacterise teachersʹ knowledge, suggesting that its salient feature is to close down on, rather than profit from, experience. I explain this limiting feature in terms of a general, constructivist model of learning. From this model, I identify three requirements for a research agenda on teachersʹ learning. These are (a) a theory of the learner teacher; (b) settings which promote deliberate learning for students; and (c) organisations committed to learning for teachers. Drawing on some contemporary work on educational learning theory, I outline some of the features of these requirements.