Examining the Complexity of the Out-of-Field Teacher Experience Through Multiple Theoretical Lenses

Abstract

This chapter will draw on and interrogate a range of theoretical approaches to examining teachers' experiences of teaching across subject boundaries. Teaching is complex work, but teaching a subject without the necessary training presents its own set of challenges, both practically in the classroom and personally for the teacher. Different theoretical perspectives highlight different aspects of the experience. Five theoretical perspectives will be explored for their emphasis on how the individual teacher is positioned in relation to their practice, themselves, and their social and cultural context. The five theoretical perspectives will include: Identity theory, TAS as Boundary Crossing, Cultural and Historical Activity Theory, Lived experience, and Communities of Practice. The chapter will use research from the authors to illustrate the explanatory power of these theories in understanding the experience of teaching across subjects.

Teachers’ preparedness to teach environmental science in Bhutan

“…The concern expressed by the teachers about their lack of multidisciplinary knowledge is consistent with the challenges related to teaching interdisciplinary subjects that integrate sciences and humanities (Rives-East & Lima, 2013). Because ES is multidisciplinary, anyone teaching it needs to be operating to some extent out-of-field; that is, they are teaching a subject area for which they are not, or do not feel, specifically trained (Hobbs et al, 2019). For instance, a science teacher may have trouble teaching or linking to the history component of ES.…”