A Companion To Research In Teacher Education

This state-of-the-art Companion assembles and assesses the extant research available on teacher education and provides clear guidelines on future directions. It addresses an important need in a collection that will be of value for teachers, teacher educators, policymakers and politicians. There has been little sustained, long-term or systematic research to provide empirical support for the broad aspects of teacher education policy, largely because such research has been chronically underfunded and based on traditional practitioner knowledge. Many of the changes to teacher education are contentious and yet are occurring in rapid succession. These policies and movements have important consequences for education, teacher quality and the future of the teaching profession. At the same time, the policies and initiatives that support these changes seem to be based more on ideology, business interests and tradition than on research and empirical findings. The nature, quality and effectiveness of teacher preparation have increasingly become a central focus for education policy worldwide in a fiercely argued debate among governments, think-tanks, world policy agencies, education researchers and teacher organisations.

This encyclopaedia is a dynamic and living reference that student teachers, teacher educators, researchers and professionals in the field of education with an accent on all aspects of teacher education, including: teaching practice; initial teacher education; teacher induction; teacher development; professional learning; teacher education policies; quality assurance; professional knowledge, standards and organisations; teacher ethics; and research on teacher education, among other issues. The Encyclopedia is an authoritative work by a collective of leading world scholars representing different cultures and traditions, the global policy convergence and counter-practices relating to the teacher education profession. The accent will be equally on teaching practice and practitioner knowledge, skills and understanding as well as current research, models and approaches to teacher education.

Who are the key thinkers in education? What are the hot topics in education? Where will education go from here? The Routledge Companion to Education presents the most comprehensive, up-to-date guide available to the key theories, themes and topics in education. Forty specially commissioned chapters, covering all aspects of education, introduce you to the ideas, research and issues that have shaped this most diverse, dynamic and fluid field. Part one provides an introduction to the key theories, thinkers and disciplines within education Part two covers ideas and issues about how, what and why learning takes place Part three includes analysis on particular approaches to education and explores the issues that attract much contemporary interest. Written by an international team of expert contributors, the chapters all include a descriptive introduction, an analysis of the key ideas and debates, an overview of the latest research, key questions for research and carefully selected further reading. The Routledge Companion to Education is a succinct, detailed, authoritative overview of the topics which are at the forefront of educational research and discourse today. This classic collection is a bookshelf essential for every student and scholar serious about the study of education.

The first edition of this text sought to provide a basis for improving the education of teachers at every level. Committed to the idea that the betterment of teacher education is essential to the improvement of schools, it provided understanding of the research so that professionals could compare, evaluate and create effective programmes.

For all those preparing to teach or involved in further professional development it will provide an essential, accessible and readable companion to their course. Theories of learning are integrated with practical strategies for approaching a topic. Each of the following areas discussed: *active reading and using the library *referencing correctly *making notes and writing clearly *presenting your work orally *developing subject knowledge *using information and communications technology *continuing professional development *developing key relationships *partnerships between schools and universities. The book explores the process of getting to know yourself as a learner and the nature of knowledge and understanding. A useful and comprehensive introduction to research identifies and demystifies aspects more relevant to the education student. Each chapter is written by professional educators with a wide range of experience and expertise.

Becoming a Teacher through Action Research, Third Edition skillfully interweaves the stories of pre-service teaching with the process of action research. This engaging text focuses specifically on the needs of pre-service teachers by providing assistance for all stages of the research experience, including guidance on how to select an area of focus, design a culturally-proficient study, collect and interpret data, and communicate findings. With an updated introduction and two new chapters, this revised edition fully develops a convincing response to the framing question of the book, "Why pre-service teacher action research?" The new edition continues to focus on elements of trustworthy pre-service teacher action research, and provides a more robust overview of research methodology. Using additional activities, charts, and examples, this book offers support during the steps of writing a critical question, data collection, data analysis and the use of analytic memos. New Features in the Third Edition include: New chapters on ongoing data analysis and final data interpretation, which include practice scenarios and examples to give readers a deeper understanding of doing the work of action research processes; An expanded chapter on action research methodology, which includes scaffolds for making methodological decisions, additional practice scenarios, and a revised action research design template; New end-of-chapter Content and Process Questions to encourage deeper understanding; New examples throughout, expanded additional glossary terms, enhanced literature review guidance, and updated templates to support action research projects; An updated companion website with downloadable templates and additional instructor resources; A revised interior text design to increase the accessibility of the text. This one-of-a-kind guide continues to offer invaluable support for teacher-education students during a critical phase of their professional—and personal—lives.

This is a companion volume to the editors' Insights into Teachers' Thinking and Practice (Falmer Press, 1999) and seeks to carry the discussion on further illustrating that there is a continuing intensity of thought, activity and debate on how to conceptualise research on teacher thinking, and thus generate knowledge for further understanding and action. The ethical questions on undertaking research on the inner lives of teachers remain unresolved. The international team present chapters which investigate the relationship between the researcher and the researched, and the relevance and role of research in teacher development. The papers are not presented as 'best practice' for such definitions would be inevitably value laden. Rather, they are indications and anticipations of key areas for the development of understanding of teachers' thinking and actions in the 1990s.

Queer Inclusion in Teacher Education explores the challenges and promises of building queer inclusive pedagogy and curriculum into teacher education. Weaving together theory, research findings, and practical "how-to" strategies and materials, it fills an important gap by offering a clear roadmap and resources for influencing the knowledge, beliefs, and actions of faculty working with pre-service teachers. While the book has implications for policy change, most immediately, readers will feel empowered with ideas for faculty development they can implement in their own teacher education programs. Looking at both the politics and practices of teacher education and the ways in which queer issues manifest in schools, it is hopeful in suggesting that if teachers and pre-service teachers can critically reflect on homophobia and heteronormativity, they can begin to think about and relate to queer youth in a different, more positive and inclusive way. A Companion Website [http://queerinclusion.com] with additional activities and materials for teacher educators and faculty development and a practical guide enhances the usefulness of the book.