Page 130 - Getting of the fence

Chapter 6
Figure 6.1. The two dimensions and four types of teachers’ search for meaning of reforms (Luttenberg et al., 2013, p. 293).
Assimilation involves the process of adapting the initial intent of the reform to fit one’s own frame of reference. Accommodation describes the process of adapting one’s own frame of reference to fit into the perceived intent of the reform. In other words, the result of an assimilation process is “an alternative of your own frame of reference (‘I knew this already’)” whereas the result of an accommodation process “leads to a transformed own frame of reference (‘I learned something new’)” (Luttenberg et al., 2013, p. 194). Toleration involves accepting the initial intent of the reform despite the mismatch with one’s own frame of reference. The result of a toleration process is “the coexistence of clearly different frames of reference with no justice done to one’s own frame of reference” (Luttenberg et al., 2013, p. 194). Distantiation is the disapproval of the initial intent of the reform allowing one’s own frame of reference to predominate. This process results in a rejection of the reform and a maintenance of one’s own frame of reference.
The third and final criterion in Practicality Theory is cost, conceptualized by Doyle and Ponder (1977) as “a ratio between amount of return and amount of investment” (p. 8). In other words, the final criterion refers to the relationship between available time, resources, and effort and the potential benefits of the reform.
6.2.4 Research questions
As described in section 1.5, the primary function of PCK research is building a bridge between theory and the daily teaching practice. The reciprocal relationship between both components can be mutually beneficial due to the focus on
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