Initial teacher education in England and Wales a topography

Abstract

Abstract This paper is based upon a survey of initial teacher education courses conducted in 1990‐91 as part of the Modes of Teacher Education (MOTE) research project, funded by the ESRC (Grant No. R000232810). It presents data on the nature of 270 (85 per cent) of the courses in operation in that year, focusing on course philosophy and pedagogy, course structure, the nature of partnership between higher education and schools, and modes of student assessment. The survey found that 81 per cent of courses were based upon an agreed model of the teacher, although this was less likely to be the case in universities than in polytechnics or colleges. Of those courses with an agreed model of the teacher, three‐quarters adopted the model of the ‘reflective practitioner’. Three quarters of courses also adopted a whole course policy on teaching and learning. Despite the frequent criticism of initial teacher training (ITT) courses being dominated by ‘theory’ unrelated to school practice, students were found to be spe...