Information economics of teaching: a transactional perspective on pedagogical reasoning to provide a typology of pedagogical equilibrium

ABSTRACT

By assessing student engagement with learning tasks along with students’ understanding of subject matter before and during teaching, teachers are able to shift their teaching approaches through improvisational pedagogical reasoning in real time. However, if a teacher does not know how to respond to students’ cues, their capacity to effectively adapt their teaching actions is reduced. This perspective resonates with the notion of pedagogical equilibrium. To date, studies of pedagogical equilibrium have predominantly focused on causes of disequilibrium, with scant discussion of typologies of pedagogical equilibria and mechanisms which can prompt teachers to transition from disequilibrium and equilibrium or vice versa. The purpose of this study is to conceptually discuss: (1) the transactional nature of teacher decision-making when it is based on understanding student actions and cognition; and, (2) typologies of pedagogical equilibria related to teachers’ preferences for being responsive to student behaviour and understanding.

KEYWORDS:

• Pedagogical equilibrium
• pedagogical reasoning
• information economics of teaching
• transaction
• teacher
• game theoretic response

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Eisuke Saito

Eisuke Saito is a Lecturer for the Faculty of Education, Monash University, Australia. His research interests are school reform, pedagogical reform and professional development of teachers.

Jennifer Mansfield

Jennifer Mansfield is a Lecturer in the Faculty of Education, Monash University, Australia. Her major research interests are: pedagogical equilibrium as a lens for teacher knowledge development; comparing the nature of education and biomedical students’ views about the nature of science; and, enhancing the quality of practical work in schools to support student learning.

Richard O’Donovan

Richard O'Donovan is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education, Monash University, Australia. His research interests are mathematics education and measurement in the Social Sciences.