The preparation of suitably qualified teachers is vital for political, social and economic growth in developing countries. Some major problems have been caused by the enormous growth in primary enrolment and by the need to train more teachers without reducing standards, exacerbated by the fact that in many cases the structure of teacher education is still in its formative stages. However, these problems can lead to innovative options and solutions. Originally published in 1988, this book reports on research and practice in teacher education around the world. It examines, for example, what happens to teacher education at times of great social change or political unrest, as in South Africa or Cyprus, how programmes in, for example, Nigeria or China approach minority education and how teachers are prepared for the teaching of indigenous populations such as the Saskatchevan Indians in Canada. These examples of international teacher education practice are presented within a specific national, regional and cultural context and provide important perspectives on the traditional views of how teachers are and should be prepared and professionally maintained. The book will be of interest to all involved in teacher education, adult education and curriculum design as well as to students of development studies.

During the last 20 years, governments around the world have paid increasing attention to the recruitment, preparation, and retention of teachers. Teacher supply and teacher quality have become significant policy issues, taken up by policy-makers at the highest levels. This is because teachers are now seen by many governments as the ‘lynch-pin’ of educational, economic and social reform. This volume grew out of a recognition by the Editors of the growing significance of teacher education policy and a curiosity about international trends and differences. The book brings together nine papers from leading academics around the world: from the UK (England and Scotland), the USA, Australia, Singapore and Belgium, plus a joint paper comparing Namibia and the USA. Taken together, the papers reveal the complexities and contradictions of international trends. On the one hand, they demonstrate that there is indeed a common direction of travel along the lines encouraged by international bodies such as the OECD. At the same time however, the papers also reveal important differences among countries in terms of how they are addressing common aspirations as well as some apparent contradictions within the policies of individual nations. This book was based on the special issue of Teachers and Teaching.

Teacher education faces challenges that are immediate and demanding. Adapting teacher education to the changing needs of educational systems is an imperative. This book offers engaging, thoughtful, and sometimes provocative ways of engaging in the debate around what is and can be in teacher education. This book responds to such things as the economic limitations associated with “fast track” routes to teacher certification, while also considering challenges such as the introduction of technology, teaching core instructional practices, as well as the place and nature of teacher education in preparing teachers for an ever-changing world.

This book showcases how teacher educators from diverse backgrounds, contexts, and realities approach English language teacher education with a critical stance. Organized into nine parts that explore different facets of English Language Teaching, each section opens with theoretical considerations chapters and features 24 practical application chapters. Written by renowned scholars including Graham Hall, Lili Cavalheiro, and Mario López Gopar, among others, the theoretical considerations chapters offer concise insights into current issues and controversies in the field, point out opportunities for criticality, and discuss implications for teacher education. Written by critically-oriented teacher educators/researchers from various parts of the world including Brazil, Germany, Morocco, Sweden, Turkey, and the USA, among others, the practical application chapters exhibit various ways to incorporate critical approaches in reshaping current teacher education practices (ranging from critical and queer pedagogy to translanguaging to multilingualism) along with a critical reflection of the potentials and the challenges involved in their application.

Serves to provide readers with an international understanding of how researchers and practitioners in different countries address some essential issues and initiatives in teacher education and development; what they have found from their known and applied research and what the implications are of which are crucial to coping with challenges from the ongoing developments in teacher education.

School improvement is at the centre of educational reform and is perceived by many as a key to social and economic advance. It contributes to determining the personal fulfilment and career paths of individual students and consequently engages the interest of parents and community members. It is an ever-present commitment of teachers and managers in schools. Policy makers and politicians at international, national and local levels devote much time and effort to their search for better schools. School improvement has also attracted the attention of researchers and scholars in many countries. They have been drawn from various disciplines and fields within the educational studies community, including psychology, sociology, history, evaluation, and studies in curriculum and assessment. There is now an established body of findings from studies conducted in many contexts. This book brings together leading experts drawn from many countries and several continents, reflecting diverse approaches to educational policy and practice, evaluation and research. Variations between countries and between local communities within countries are highlighted. The possibilities and difficulties inherent in transferring evidence from one educational system, at a number of levels, to another are clearly discussed. What emerges from the cross-national and cross-cultural evidence are several significant threads, currently under active investigation, including: school structure and management, classroom organisation, school leadership, teacher training and staff development, curriculum and assessment, community involvement, lifelong learning and special provision for students with special educational needs. "School Improvement: International Perspectives" is written for national educational policy makers, teachers and student teachers, governing bodies and parents from various levels of schooling, and university researchers and scholars.

"Drawing together an international author team from Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden and the UK, this book examines how we might democratize and open up access to 'knowledge of the powerful' for all. This book moves beyond the narrow knowledge vs skills debate of the 20th century to interrogate the epistemic quality of education in schools, and is a valuable resource for reflecting on the design and implementation of teacher education. Based on a range of national studies by the Knowledge and Quality across School Subjects and Teacher Education network (KOSS), funded by the Swedish Research Council (2019-22), the chapters explore teachers' powerful professional knowledge and the implications this has for innovation in teacher education, policy and practice in educational settings"--

Mathematics teacher education includes the mathematics content teachers need to understand, ways that pedagogical approaches are developed, messages about the nature of mathematics teaching and learning, and interfaces between tertiary preparation and school contexts. Scholars from Sweden, France, Malawi, Singapore, New Zealand, Brazil, the USA, and Canada provide insights for the mathematics education community’s understanding of how teacher educators structure, develop, and implement their respective mathematics teacher education programs. Several themes emerged across the chapters, including: varied approaches to developing culturally responsive pedagogies and/or Indigenous perspectives; issues and challenges in fostering partnerships and collaborations; strategies for developing mathematics knowledge for teaching; and preparing flexible and resourceful teachers. Praise for International Perspectives on Mathematics Teacher Education: "International Perspectives on Mathematics Teacher Education explores different facets of mathematics teacher education in eight countries across five continents. The authors and editors answer important questions and open the door to critical conversations about policies and practices related to mathematics teacher recruitment, preparation, and professional development, among other topics. Every reader will develop new perspectives as they learn how one institution is engaging with Indigenous perspectives while other countries struggle with an insufficient supply of certified teachers. This book clearly demonstrates challenges, constraints, nuances and complexities to initiating and maintaining improvement across systems to enhance the work and spaces of mathematics teachers within different historical, cultural, social, and political contexts. This volume also generates ideas and opportunities for leaders, policymakers, and teacher educators to consider and learn from international colleagues about different approaches to mathematics teacher education practice and policy. Undoubtedly, debates about standards, content and experiences in programs, and accountability structures such as accreditation will continue. It is clear from the insights in this volume that strengthening mathematics teacher education will require stronger collaborations, frameworks, policies, infrastructure, and investments on a global scale and it will be critical to collaborate with and learn from colleagues in international settings. These conversations will require reciprocity, interdependence, and resilience as we pursue the ultimate goal of equipping the field of mathematics teacher education." Kathryn Chval Dean, College of Education Professor of Mathematics Education University of Illinois Chicago

This book explores major factors impacting on teacher education in recent times. It uses examples from a broad range of international contributors who compare larger countries such as the USA, England and Australia with their smaller partners: Canada, Scotland and New Zealand, demonstrating the substantial differences existent in all three cases. They also contrast the approaches of the countries that are members of the European Union with those that are not and discuss the special circumstances of developing countries, using Malawi as a case study. The international dimension of the book allows it to address the impact of globalisation on teacher education, with attention given to subjects such as the implications of rapid technological change, the movement of teachers and students on a global level and the drive to improve standards in various parts of the world. The book asks key questions, such as whether teaching is a craft or a profession and whether teacher educators view themselves as practitioners or researchers. The question of how the profession is viewed from outside is also addressed, highlighting the lack of trust displayed by politicians and communities towards both teachers and teacher educators. The final chapter looks to the future, and considers strategies for dealing with it. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Education for Teaching.