ABSTRACT
During the last decade the study of classroom events has become a major growth area for educational research. In this chapter, I shall not be reviewing specific research findings in order to discuss their relevance for teacher education. Rather I shall interpret my task as that of answering the general question, 'How can the study of classroom events contribute to the professional development of teachers?' I shall contrast two distinct approaches to classroom research in terms of their underlying assumptions about the relationship between teaching and learning, and in the light of these assess their potential for influencing professional development. It will be my contention that not every way of influencing the practice of teachers in classrooms contributes to their professional development. Such development is an educational process, and in order to influence this process, classroom research must possess educative potential.
