Reform Efforts in Teacher Education

Abstract

This chapter examines recent “reform” efforts in teacher education around the world. There are three main sections. First, we identify eight types of reform policies and initiatives. These include: establishing standards and minimum requirements for teacher education; making teacher education more “research-based”; making pre-service programmes more “accountable”; allowing alternative routes into teaching; placing greater emphasis on subject knowledge; and increasing school involvement in teacher education. Second, we provide case studies of four countries – England, the U.S., Singapore, and Canada – that have rather distinctive approaches to teacher education reform. Third, we discuss where we should be going in teacher education reform, showing the limitations and weaknesses of some of the recent initiatives and suggesting ways to enhance teacher education reform.