Educational Policy in Transition: Teacher Education and the Foundations of Education.

Overview & Synopsis

Recent trends in teacher education may eliminate courses in the cultural foundations of education from professional education curricula. The emphasis on the development of new teacher education programs and on teaching degrees that emphasize academic studies over professional education courses have led many governing bodies to question the need for such courses. The decline of student enrollment in traditional baccalaureate teacher education programs and other structural changes have also contributed to this trend. There is obvious disagreement about the nature of teacher education problems and their solution. The Southern Regional Education Board has recommended increased general education requirements, while rejecting a fifth-year requirement. Others have called for the elimination of undergraduate majors in education in favor of a combination of an academic major, an internship, and a master's degree in teaching. Another recommendation has been to restrict entrance to teacher education programs and to limit the number of colleges that train teachers. It is unlikely that many of the reform proposals will be implemented due to the lack of effective leadership. Education officials need to play a bigger role in determining what educators need to know and why. (GJ)