Three Key Features in the Design and Practice of Teacher Education

Abstract

This paper argues for a framework of three features that characterize powerful teacher education. Based upon research in the U.S. on effective programs, this emerging research suggests that teacher education programs need to promote a clear vision of teachers and teaching; must be coherent, reflecting a shared understanding of teaching and learning among faculty and students; and finally, need to be built around a strong core curriculum deeply tied to teaching practice. This paper focuses in particular upon the conception of program vision, and discusses the role that visions may play in contributing to program coherence. The paper describes three types of teacher education visions identified thus far in research in the United States: a vision of service that conceives of teaching as only one of many opportunities to “give back” or contribute to society; a vision of social justice that conceives of teaching as a direct means of addressing social inequities; and a vision of practice that focuses upon teaching as a profession that has a knowledge base and set of practices that can be learned and developed over time. Drawing upon this framework, the author will report upon initial findings from a study of vision in Norwegian teacher education programs and in the United States. These findings suggest that in the Norwegian programs visions tend to be individual, as opposed to shared, and that student teachers may be receiving different messages about teaching in these programs—similar to findings in programs in the United States.