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The gaps that the thesis aims to fill
Chapter One – An introduction to the study - Page 5
This thesis aims to fill two gaps, the gap in existing knowledge about learning groups,
but also a gap in research practice that seeks to explore learning group and related
phenomena.
The aim here is to sketch those gaps, both in existing knowledge as well as in research
practice, and to form questions for the study to address. This dual focus is reflected in
the heading above, what are the gaps, plural. The end of the Chapter will be represented
by two questions. One question is about professional learning. The other question is
about ways of investigating professional learning. These dual foci will be held
throughout this investigation. At times they will be more separate, at others inseparable,
but the maintenance of both of these is a distinctive feature of the research.
It seems important to start from a consideration of existing practice at each of the two
foci (learning group and research), and then to follow with an assessment of where
there are important unanswered questions. The learning group focus is considered first.
A gap in the understanding of professional learning that results
from the use of the group context of that learning.
Where I want to end up is with a question about what is not known in the practice of
training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. I will seek to reach this by considering both
what is known, as well as the limitations of current knowledge, beginning with existing
practice. I want to point out that I’ll be including a lot of detail of the training being
studied, but this is of value for background later in the study.