ABSTRACT
This chapter explores educational theory and its relevance, and argues that theory and practice should be seen not as separate entities but as integral to what teachers do in their everyday practice. It also examines different educational theoretical perspectives and considers practical implications of trying to put theory and research into practice from teacher perspective. Educational theory is an essential element informing how teachers interpret and understand their world and their everyday teaching practices within that world, framed by their personal theories. Situated Cognition Theory views learning as only making sense within specific context: knowledge is not something that is generalizable. The situational aspect of learning is important and was a later addition to Illeris's model to demonstrate how the learner is interacting with the environment at a number of levels. However, regardless of degree of consciousness of formal theory, every teacher operates according to theories of learning and a philosophy of what they perceive education to be about.
