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A resource designed for FES trainee teachers at Sheffield Hallam University.
Educational theories are helpful to PGCE Further Education & Skills trainee teachers for several reasons:
Guidance and frameworks : Educational theories provide a structured framework for understanding how learning happens. They give us guidance with designing effective teaching strategies, curriculum development, and classroom management.
Pedagogical techniques: Theories help us learn various pedagogical techniques and approaches to meet needs of FES learners.
Understanding learners: Theories often delve into the psychology of learning, helping us understand the cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of learners. This knowledge helps us to create supportive and engaging learning environments.
Reflective practice: Familiarity with educational theories helps us to engage in reflective practice by helping us to identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions to enhance our effectiveness in the classroom.
Common language: Talking to colleagues about theories helps us to better understand how others are making decisions about teaching, learning and assessment in their classes.
Professional development: It helps to keep you updated on research, trends, and best practices in education.
Some of the theories on this site are contested and have attracted significant criticism and debate. They are included to help you understand the range of views surrounding them. Where you see this caution sign, take particular care to understand both the theory itself and the evidence, arguments, and criticisms that challenge it.
The theories on this site should be viewed as a starting point. You are not expected to discuss all these theories in your work. The content on this site has been curated with resources to help you think about how what you do when you teach is linked to underpinning educational theories. You should read what others have to say about the theories before critically evaluating how they apply to learners in the FES sector and in relation to your subject specialism.
Have you spotted something that is missing, wrong, or just not up to date? Please send Dave an email with your suggestions of things to add or change.
On every page, there are questions to help you evaluate each theory. General questions to consider about all learning theories are:
What is the evidence or research to support a learning theory?
How well do learning theories explain the complexities of human learning?
To what extent do learning theories consider learning in the Further Education & Skills (FES) sector?
With so many learning theories how can we evaluate which ones are worth applying to our subject and setting?
Do learning theories account for lifelong learning and continuous adaptation?
Further reading:
Aubrey, K., & Riley, A. (2024). Understanding and using challenging educational theories.
De Bruyckere, P., Kirschner, P. A., & Hulshof, C. D. (2015). Urban myths about learning and education. Academic Press.
Leonard, D. C. (2002). Learning theories: A to Z. Bloomsbury Publishing USA.
Pritchard, A. (2017). Ways of learning: Learning theories for the classroom. Routledge.
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