Isn't It about Time Teacher Education Used What Is Known?

Overview & Synopsis

Teacher education students' cognitive and psychosocial development renders current practice as it manifests itself in courses and teaching strategies useless and irrelevant. Cognitive and psychosocial development are the theoretical framework upon which innovation and intervention for teacher education may begin. The basic premise upon which this intervention is based is: teacher education does have available to it requisite theories and data to inform itself concerning who the teacher education student is, both cognitively and psychosocially. Knowing these two variables has far-reaching potential for instituting more informed and effective teacher education programs. Analyses are presented of the theoretical development of positions on cognitive and psychosocial factors in the individual student, demonstrating the knowledge base available to teacher educators in planning for a more individualized and sensitive teacher education curriculum. A description is given of a 5-year teacher education program based upon these developmental theories. The paper concludes with a seven-page bibliography. (JD)