TETD 817: Research in Teacher Education
This course offers a critical examination of the empirical research on teacher education, giving emphasis to the literature on learning to teach in pre-professional preparation programs and during the challenging transition from being a student of teaching to becoming a teacher of students. Participants explore how teacher education research has been conceptualized and studied in the United States since the 1960s, when the federal government first funded centers of research on teacher education. The course examines genres of research in teacher education, engaging participants in an analysis of their strengths and limitations. Participants are also engaged in a critical appraisal of published empirical works in topical areas such as learning to teach diverse student populations, the impact of learning opportunities provided student teachers during the practicum, the experiences of novice teachers as they transition from teacher preparation to teaching, and use of learning communities in professional education.
Prerequisites: Admission to Teacher Education and Teacher Development (TETD) program or departmental approval.