Dialogue as a catalyst for teacher change: A conceptual analysis

Teacher-teacher dialogue is a central activity within many professional learning programmes. Understanding how and why dialogue works as an effective tool for teacher change is a question, however, that needs more careful probing in the extant literature. In this paper, I draw upon the philosophical theory of practical reason in order to show why and how teacher-teacher dialogue plays such a crucial role in the evolution of teacher practice. This conceptual analysis also builds our understanding as to the kinds of teacher-teacher dialogues that are more likely to be effective at catalysing teacher learning. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.