The gap between theory and practice is not tangible or identifiable; it is a “me

The gap between theory and practice is not tangible or identifiable; it is a “metaphorical void which is felt or experienced” (Greenway et al., 2019). While theory and practice go hand-in-hand, informing and relying on each other, part of the gap, or problem, is a point between the two where teachers believe theory becomes incomprehensible “jargon” that has nothing to do with their everyday problems and concerns. Although academics see the value and need for theory (Higgs, 2013), theory, and the application of the theory, need to be linked to practice and presented in a way that teachers can understand (Hughes, 2006). The gap between theory and practice starts forming when teachers struggle to connect what they learned in school or read as theory and what they experience in the classroom (Higgs, 2013; Roth et al., 2014). Explore the notion of this gap between theory and practice in the field of education (e.g. educational studies vs reality and experience for teachers.) Speak to: · The purpose of higher education/ a degree (does a degree = theory only? Is there a practical aspect?), is the purpose of a degree to prepare students for a job? (refering to Dewey, Bruner, Freire, and bell hooks, among others) · Is there a way to minimize the gap between theory and practice? Or will it always be present? Do students feel prepared/ready when they leave university? Will students ever feel “prepared”? · Do students know how to/can students apply theory in practical ways? Can they make the transition from learning a theory and putting it into practice? (e.g. understanding critical pedagogy or trauma-informed pedagogy and implementing it into a classroom) · POSSIBLY (?) Faculty/courses in educational studies – are some focused solely on theoretical aspects? Or practical aspects? What is the importance of either/both? Is one more valid?