A Brief History Of Standards In Teacher Education

With the current emphasis on standards in the schools, one may think that this is a new phenomenon. However, as this pamphlet clearly demonstrates, while standards in American schools have a long history dating back to Reconstruction, the recommendations for what is needed to improve teacher education are remarkably similar—brighter students, more realistic classes, rigorous general education, serious evaluation, and so on. The reports and guidelines share a zeal for the standards they are promulgating, but are thin on research to support their recommendations. The irony is that the 'profession's power is so fragmented, and its prestige so ailing,' that adequate support for teacher education and professional practice remain elusive. The report concludes that only a concerted effort by a coalition of organizations could generate the support needed to achieve a major breakthrough in the quality of schooling and teacher education.

Organized by region, this edited collection provides a comprehensive look at how teacher education has evolved regionally and nationally in Canada. Offering an in-depth look at specific provinces and territories, this volume contextualizes the landscape of Canadian public education and the place of teacher education within it. Shedding light on the ways Canadian teacher education was shaped by and in turn influenced its environment, contributors evaluate the current state of education and consider themes, tensions, and historical developments, presenting a view of teacher education that encompasses both its future and its past. A significant contribution to the field of curriculum history, this book offers a benchmark for conversations about the purposes, means, and ends of teacher education in Canada.

With the current emphasis on standards in the schools, one may think that this is a new phenomenon. However, as this pamphlet clearly demonstrates, while standards in American schools have a long history dating back to Reconstruction, the recommendations for what is needed to improve teacher education are remarkably similar—brighter students, more realistic classes, rigorous general education, serious evaluation, and so on. The reports and guidelines share a zeal for the standards they are promulgating, but are thin on research to support their recommendations. The irony is that the 'profession's power is so fragmented, and its prestige so ailing,' that adequate support for teacher education and professional practice remain elusive. The report concludes that only a concerted effort by a coalition of organizations could generate the support needed to achieve a major breakthrough in the quality of schooling and teacher education.

This book discusses the discipline standards of History in Australian universities in order to help historians understand the Threshold Learning Outcomes and to assist in their practical application. It is divided into two sections: The first offers a scholarly exploration of contemporary issues in history teaching, while the second section discusses each of the Threshold Learning Outcomes and provides real-world examples of quality pedagogical practice. Although the book focuses on the discipline of history in Australia, other subjects and other countries are facing the same dilemmas. As such, it includes chapters that address the international context and bring an international perspective to the engagement with discipline standards. The innovation and leadership of this scholarly community represents a new stage in the transformation and renewal of history teaching.

This book seeks to not only articulate a vision for the profession through Standards for Teacher Educators but also provide a historical perspective of and explore the issues surrounding these standards. To accomplish this, the book establishes the history of teacher education as a discipline, defines who is a teacher educator, and provides a historical foundation for these standards. The reader is then presented with a set of mini-chapters designed to conceptualize a vision for teacher educators through each of the nine standards. Featuring voices of eductors in diverse fields, the third section expands thinking about the standards and how they may or may not apply to others. The final section provides viewpoints on Standards for Teacher Educators and the potential impact of such standards on the profession.

Designing Performance Assessment Systems for Urban Teacher Preparation presents an argument for, and invites, critical examination of teacher preparation and assessment practices--in light of both the complexity and demands of urban settings and the theories of learning and learning to teach that guide teacher education practices. This dynamic approach distinguishes the authors' stance on urban teacher assessment as one that can help address social justice issues related to gender, race, socioeconomic class, and other differences, and at the same time promote the professional development of all educators engaged in the process of learning to teach. The contextually bound, sociocultural stance that informs this book promises greater teacher and student achievement. Culminating six years of vital dialogue and focused, local activity among teachers and teacher educators from institutions in the Urban Network to Improve Teacher Education, Designing Performance Assessment Systems for Urban Teacher Preparation presents: *the historical context that was examined for this work, a theoretical framework to undergrad teacher preparation assessment, and design principles to guide the development of assessment systems; *four case studies of participants' struggles and successes in designing and implementing these systems; and *a discussion of the importance of context and current trends in assessment practices in urban teaching. This volume is particularly relevant for university and school-based teacher educators who help prepare teachers to work in urban schools, and for personnel in state departments of education and other agencies who are responsible for certification and beginning teacher support. While the focus is on preparing teachers for urban settings, the theoretical and practical foundations and the case studies have broad implications and provide useful insights for anyone involved in developing and using performance assessment systems--teacher educators, university and school administrators, classroom teachers, and educational researchers.

Understanding Teacher Education in Contentious Times examines how public, professional, and private or corporate agencies operate to shape teacher education and possibilities for its improvement. Teacher education programs, particularly those leading to state certification or licensure, are influenced not only by state regulations but also by required review and accreditation by an outside agency such as the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, and are subject to various contextual pressures such as the cultures of the institutions that host them and their surrounding communities, their potential student and employer markets, strong individuals, professional organizations, history or tradition, and, increasingly, external, usually privately-funded, special interest corporations such as the National Council on Teacher Quality. Unique among books on teacher education, this volume interweaves—in historical context including emerging trends—the complex contexts in which practice and reform efforts take place and are supported or impeded.

Institutions of higher education are keen to improve teachers’ intercultural experiences, communication, and understanding, but offer few resources for bringing the research literature to direct application in teacher education programs. This volume addresses that gap by examining what intercultural exchanges in teacher education look like, why they are important, and how they can be maintained. The authors examine how socio-cultural beliefs, institutional structures, and external accreditation bodies interact in the process of interculturalization, highlighting the incentives and barriers as well as strategies to implement and maintain interculturalization projects. Highlighting pragmatic examples, this book addresses the challenges and benefits of interculturalization that can be applied to teacher education programs from both a theoretical and practitioner perspective.