Gaps in Teaching Learning Theories in Pakistani Teacher Education Programs: Bridging Paradigm and Reality

Abstract

This study was conducted to find out how and why learning theories are taught in current Pakistani teacher education programs: identifying a gap between paradigm and reality in teacher education. The objectives of the study were: to investigate how and why learning theories are taught in current Pakistani teacher education program, to identify the gap between paradigm and reality in teacher education, to ascertain the differences between teachers’ opinions regarding the gap between paradigm and reality in teacher education on the base of demographics, to ascertain the difference between students’ opinion on the base of demographic variables. All (44) male and female teachers, (26 males and 18 females) and 1247 students (626 males and 621 females) from the Department of Education at the IUB Bahawalpur, IUB (RYK Campus), and KFUEIT were the populations of the study. The quantitative survey method was utilized and the data was collected by using stratified random sampling. A self-structured questionnaire containing fifty (50) questions for teachers and forty-five (45) questions for students was used. Twenty-five questionnaires for teachers and 621 questionnaires for students were distributed among the participants. The data from 646 participants were analyzed by utilizing SPSS for descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The results revealed that the majority of the teachers taught learning theories in their regular lessons, and it is endorsed by the students. It is suggested that learning theories may be implemented practically to enhance the expertise of teachers.