When this change took place, I got the opportunity to study to a PhD examination in 1998. As a consequence of my thesis work and continued research, I was now better prepared to help the students test theory against empirical experience and vice versa. At certain stages the emphasis is on discovering how it is possible to put theories into practice while at other times theorising practice is essential. The latter is in my opinion an important part of special educator and special teacher training, since the students often have extensive practical experience but have had too little knowledge or space in their everyday work to be able to question or critically examine and elaborate their practice.
To return to my personal development as a teacher trainer, this has been dependent on a number of factors: first of all my own continuing research and that of others, but also collaboration with pedagogically skilled and alert colleagues. Other important factors are all the frequent meetings with very experienced teachers on continuation as well as doctoral courses.
One of the aims of teacher training as I see it today is to give the students tools for continuous, on-going mental interaction between theory and practice: one such tool is to “research” one’s own practice and to lead and document process-oriented cooperation with pupils, colleagues and other professional workers. Such cooperation is considered an important component of inclusive education.
