Developing a Knowledge Base for Teacher Education.

Overview & Synopsis

The paper describes how Concordia College (Minnesota) restructured its teacher education programs, beginning with secondary education, to develop a knowledge base for teacher education. Data from a survey of employers of first year graduates, from a survey of the graduates themselves, and from comments collected from students and the teachers working with them were reviewed along with previous evaluations of the school's programs. Student and faculty goals as well as research on education were examined and the existing program was assessed. A philosophy statement which emphasized faculty beliefs about teacher education was drafted, and all secondary education faculty agreed on developing a teacher education program based on the concept of reflective teaching. The faculty wrote six disposition statements to form the parameters of the teacher education program and created objectives to help develop the stated dispositions in students. Faculty members translated the developing knowledge base into college courses and experiences, integrating the professional education component of teacher education within the liberal arts curriculum and making it the focus of a significant amount of academic programming. Programs were designed in three clusters, each with a field-based component; students worked with at least two professors per cluster. An outline of the Concordia cluster program is included. (Contains 17 references) (SM)