Teaching and learning as cultural encounters (meeting of minds)

Human development always takes place in a world that is predetermined by cultural values – thus, children practically grow up in other people’s cultural scripts. Culture-bound notions arise - usually without further reflection - regarding intentions, actions, beliefs and desires of oneself and others (theory of mind, common sense theories), becoming inherent to patterns of interpretation and action. Accordingly, teaching and learning always constitute a cultural encounter in a social, inter-subjective context. In a school context in particular, the concepts of teachers and learners, their knowledge and beliefs meet. They are subject to implicit and explicit teaching and learning processes, and influence processes of comprehension.

The research project will initially focus on the subjective beliefs of teachers: their perceptions of advancing and constraining effects on development, the significance and optimisation of educatioin and care throughout the course of development as well as epistemological beliefs. We intend to assess in how far concepts correspond to so-called "scientific knowledge". A general assumption exists that complex, "mature" epistemological beliefs about knowledge and the acquisition of knowledge have a positive effect on reflection and thought processes and learning and teaching strategies, hence on achievements themselves. However, even the theoretically highest level of complexity is seldom determined even for adults. This should be crucial for the conceptual development of initial and further teacher training programmes.