Although rarely explicitly acknowledged within teacher education programmes, fictions play an integral role in supporting student learning. Fictitious, ‘as if’ philosophies led the way for the development of constructivist learning theories which often, despite being antithetical to the ‘truth’, hold significant utility in supporting our comprehension of the complex world around us. Fictions allow for the advancement of thought and enquiry in the absence of complete information. Fictions form the basis for many of the teaching and learning heuristics employed in classrooms, as well as supporting the delivery of content knowledge appropriate to the age and experience of respective students. This article seeks to elevate the place of fictions within teacher education through the explicit acknowledgement of their utility across most areas of study. The tenacious challenges that militate against embracing fictions are noted, while spaces for recognising the important role of fictions within teacher education are also explored.
Lynch et al. (Tue,) studied this question.