THE PROFESSIONAL TEACHER EDUCATOR: SIX ROLES

ABSTRACT
The profession of teacher educators is quite different from teachers. Teacher educators
work as researcher curriculum developer, coach, gate keeper, broker and teacher of
teachers.
1. INTRODUCTION
With rise of 1990s, the attentation has been given to the role of teacher educators.
Much work was done in this regard for last ten years but a comprehensive study was
not done so far. The goal of the conducted study was to know about the:
i. professional role and related professional behavior of the teacher educators.
ii. the professional development of teacher educators regarding these roles and the
accompanying behavior.
In this article the finding related to these two questions are presented.
i. What are and what characterizes the professional roles of teacher educators
and their associated professional behavior?
ii. What characterizes the development of teacher educators regarding their
professional roles and their associated professional behavior?
In this study, the key focus is on professional behavior that is based on systemically
organized, transferable knowledge base and the values of profession reflected. The
heterogeneous group of teacher educator varies in education level, degree and the
students they are dealing with. Their core subjects are also different.
Teacher educators have a difficult role to play. They not only teach or coach but work
on the professional development too.
2. METHOD
We followed eight steps for this review study. The documentation was done in a careful
way, conduct of study as well literature review. The terms were used as teacher
educator, teacher trainer and mentor teacher. It was done with 1262 articles for 1991 –
2011. 405 of articles selected on the basis of abstract. We collected articles on quality
basis recognized by ISI, ICO with relevance of the topic. All of the 405 articles were not
exactly related to our purpose of study. Only 136 articles were left for further study. By
studying these articles, we read to the conclusion that six roles of teachers were same
or rather described explicitly in the articles. Findings were discussed and expert friends
were asked to make a report. All this process was completed in eight steps; one by one.
After 2011, many studies also come regarding teacher educator roles.
3. SIX ROLES
Teacher educators play these six basic roles:
1. teacher of teachers
2. researcher
3. coach (how to guide students teachers)
4. curriculum developer (design the curriculum)
5. gatekeeper(important for admission in teaching profession)
6. broker(link between school and teacher education institute)
Furthermore, we describe the role and behavior and professional development of
teacher educators under each role playing selected by the abstract of our studies.
3.1 Teacher of teachers
The role of teacher educators is to teach respective teachers but not to the pupils.
First order and second order teaching are two different phenomena according
Murray and Male. The second order teaching requires special pedagogy skills and a
complete knowledge of the needs of teachers to whom they are teaching.
It is now important how to develop their professional skills as teacher educators.
Professional standards are maintained by different organizations. On the other hand,
their own characteristics enhance their abilities as teacher educators. This roles
leads us to second role of teachers.
3.2 Researcher
The role of teacher educators is growing strongly but it is still not known what type of
research is necessary for teacher educators. The question is still there that it is
about reading literature, supervising research students or conducting research.
Three cluster of factors come before us to develop the professional role as
researchers. First, creating a supporting culture environment. Second is to develop
the personal qualities of a teacher educators. Finally, a teacher’s own research work
encourages him / her to play role as teacher educators.
3.3 Coach
This role is very vital for teacher educators. Openness, passion, forgiveness,
inspiration, respect, integrity and helpfulness are some of its important aspects.
Usually, teacher mentors just play their roles as advising students and don’t focus on
making their students more question asking and stimulating for discussion and
reflection.
Professional development as coach is only possible when the breech between the
mentors and learned educators will be minimized.
3.4 Curriculum Developer
Although development of curriculum for teacher education is subject of large amount of
studies but closer analysis reveals that only a few articles have the teacher educator as
a curriculum developer as their object of study. Different teacher-education conceptions
include realistic teacher education, competence-based teacher education or a teacher-
education curriculum. There are conceptions whether via curriculum should be
research-led, research -oriented, research-based or research-informed. A study shows
that teacher educators participating in curriculum renewal focus mainly on developing
content for the curriculum part. No studies have been found in the professional
development of teacher educator in the role of curriculum developers.
3.5 Gatekeeper
The teacher educator in the role of gatekeeper monitors the access of students to the
teaching profession. The criteria to measure future teacher is mostly determined by
defined standards based on the teaching competencies. Wide use of portfolios in
teacher education is assumed to promote active learning. But study reveals uncertainty
about the content and purpose of portfolios. Reliability and validity of assessment is also
questionable. Tillema & Smith relate that teacher-educators experience between their
role as coaches and as gatekeepers. However, the summative function of the
assessment is extremely important to protect education from incompetent teachers.
Role of school-based teacher educator becomes more important because of shift of
responsibilities from universities to schools.
No studies have been found on professional development of teacher in the gatekeeper
role.
3.6 Broker
University and school-based teacher share the big responsibility for education and
development of prospective teachers. Competent Teacher educators play a role to
shape this cooperation process. He introduced the term broker for this role in 2009 that
is commonly used in the context of a community of learners. According to Carroll
important activities of a broker are: focusing the common attention to specific topics,
thinking aloud, summarizing and consolidating jointly developed insights and products.
Only a few studies have been found on the professional in the broker role. Bullough,
Draper, Smith, Birrell and William emphasized the importance of identity formation and
relationship building.
4. Discussion
Teacher educator play many roles while performing their jobs. All this needs to make
broader changes in their professional skills and roles of teacher educators with help of
scholarships.
4.1 Implications for research
The result of the study shows that all the research previous done in this regard
should be more focused and with new addition. For some basic roles it can be
enough but for specific roles it should be researched again. Teacher educators
behavior must be changed for the effectiveness of their roles; mentioned in above
study.
4.2 Implications for practice
Teacher educators play all their roles with responsibility. They must have all
opportunities of scholarships. Critical factors for initial and professional education
are; (a) frame of reference available for relevant professional development.
(b) Personal traits of teacher – educators (c) a balanced environment for growth of
teacher educators. (d) research based mind. For all these factors to be implemented
for practice, responsibility lies upon the shoulders of all people involved in teacher
educator process.