research on teacher education

profesor madya dr rohizani yaakub (rohizani@usm.my)

introduction
Assumption: Teaching as a multidisciplinary inquiry doesnt belong to any group no preserve to any one group anybodys field What is your opinion? Discuss.

Who are The Teacher Educators?

Not much have been done on defining who are teacher educators. - overlooked domain - Conflict arises! Teachers of prospective teachers: General studies Content knowledge (major & minor) Pedagogical

Who are The Teacher Educators?

1. Professorial Identity and Commitment Denotative meaning Provide required course work for prospective student

Connotative meaning pedagogical studies affiliated with academic units

Who are The Teacher Educators?

2. Identity and Responsibility Whos responsibility? Whos priority? Skirmishes and squabbles!

Conflicts/tension!
Education professors vs others TEs as a breed apart Academic stratification Entering the profession at late age Duration of study shorter Results New millennium?

Studying the students of teaching

Who are they?

Desultory in nature unfocused, unorganized! Poorly synthesized Weakly criticized

Because excess of data lack of thought Resulted Misinterpretation Overgeneralization

Students of teaching
1. Demography Population Massive size (>300,000) [400,000) Gender bias more female [ > 55%] Affects Quality small-group become costly Resulted Illusion job-placement

Students of teaching

2. Academic qualifications 3. Academically weak (average & below) - (pg 538 -9)
Resulted Illusion reduce content knowledge

Students of teaching
3. Too many lows, resulted reduce content knowledge (supposedly not) power influence affects learning environment ( + & - ) (pg 541)

Students of teaching
4. Expectations and motivations maintain low expectations and motivations declining reward Minimal involvement in decision making

Students expectations
Acquired on the job Easy own experience in classroom Instincts Simple access, easy work, minimal academic value, and occupational discontinuation (pg 543)

Students expectations
Students motivation to stay Enjoyment working with young people Performing public service Ease of entry Time compatibility Modest material benefits Psychic awards students achievements

Effects of prolonged service Dead-end occupation Weary excessive demand Routine Low pay Undisciplined student

Studying the curriculum for teaching

i. ii. Commonly known as expert-designed content and process studies. Alternative curriculum : what the students have an opportunity to learn.

Curriculum for teaching

What students have an opportunity to learn generally 3 strands Chaos in course work school of thought Curriculum traditions education students were not expected to apply substantive knowledge (549) The curriculum of field experience The place of research in teacher education curriculum! Action research.

Summary
The need to balance liberal & technical Mastery of skills Avoid fragmented and shallow Encourage lifelong learners/careers Curricula that are deep, scholarly, coherent, and related.

Support
Higher Education Community and Support for Teacher Education i. Faculty investment ii. Financial investment iii. Responsible administration iv. Quality control

Support

The School Community and Support for Teacher Education i. Career stages to advance learning ii. Early years in teaching mentor! iii. Collegial support for continued learning iv. Formal arrangements for continued learning

Support
The Professional Community and Support for Teacher Education i. Program accreditation and approval ii. Certification iii. Teacher organizations

Reference
Lanier, J.E. and J.W. Little ; 1988; Research on Teacher Education, Chapter 19. in Wittrock M.(ed.) Handbook of Research on Teaching. New York: Macmillian. Cornell, M. T (2010). Framing Teacher Education: participation frameworks as resources for teacher learning. Pedagogies: An International Journal. Vol 5,no 2, Apr-June 2010, 87-106