Is The Education of Teachers Changing?

Overview & Synopsis

The undergraduate education of teachers--improving their general education, the content of their majors, and the professional education course--must become a priority for more college, university, and state leaders. State-mandated standards have produced some significant changes, but these alone are not sufficient to stimulate all the needed improvements in what and how future teachers are taught. This study shows that little substantive curriculum change has occurred over the last five years, and that all too often college presidents and academic vice presidents have not been actively involved in supporting or promoting change. On those campuses where change is taking place, creative academic leaders are seizing upon state mandates and interest in teacher education as opportunities for change. Arts and sciences and education faculty need to rethink curriulum, and state and campus policies should call for and provide incentives for faculty action. Policies for strengthening teacher education programs should be joint efforts of campus and state leaders because of effects beyond the campus, such as quality and supply of teachers and costs of programs. (AA)