The aim of this paper is to reconsider recent pan-European developments in teacher education and to discuss some aspects of its future. Teacher education across Europe has been largely "universitised"; therefore, both its present and future should be discussed within the context of the general changes in European higher education deeply…

The introduction of a new mandatory policy for the teaching of English at the higher education level in China, College English Curriculum Requirements (CECR, published in 2004), had the intention of modernising and improving the quality of English teaching at the tertiary level in China. The policy had a focus on student-centred approaches to…

In this article the authors report the findings of a collaborative partnership between university researchers and school teams of administrators and teachers and how different kinds of knowledge were negotiated during the process of undertaking action research. The authors' analysis sheds light on the subtle and complex negotiations that occur so…

Chongqing University, as one of the experimental universities in China, has implemented computer-assisted language learning to support and practice learner autonomy since 2003. But in 2006, as a Visiting Fellow from Chongqing at the University of Leeds, the author noted pedagogical differences in promoting learner autonomy of language teaching…

Given the crucial issues of disproportionality and the growing diversity of our K-12 student population it is imperative that today's classroom teachers be prepared to critically examine, reflect on and respond to practices for learners with diverse needs and from diverse backgrounds. While effective teachers are the key to meeting the needs of…

The promotion of reflective practice, while widely advocated in higher education settings, nonetheless presents numerous challenges. This is an under-researched aspect of the discourse on reflective practice. A key challenge for those working in the field of teacher education within higher education is to promote a culture of refection in large…

In this article, the authors describe a school-university relationship which aims to sustain dialogue between educators who are positioned differently in relation to pre-service teacher growth. The authors distinguish an "intentional partnership" model from other approaches to school-university collaboration, providing a rationale for their focus…

This paper asks who should be responsible for the design and delivery of improved continuing professional development (CPD). It also questions what roles teacher educators, subject specialists and experienced classroom practitioners should take in developing a research-led programme for practising teachers. The paper further reviews current…

This article explores student teachers' perceptions and experiences over the course of the training year. It discusses five important themes to emerge from responses at intervals during the year; themes which, although in some respects contradictory, combine to create a picture of the conflicting feelings experienced by student teachers. This…

The aim of this study was to conduct research about independent learning in post-16 education in order to assist the author, a teacher and senior leader, with developing college-wide improvement strategies. The research consisted of observations and surveys of teachers and students at eight schools in Bedfordshire in order to investigate the…

This study investigated the extent to which pre-service instructional technologists were prepared to assume roles in providing the systemic support needed by science teachers. The participants in the study engaged in a one-semester graduate course focused on integrating technology into science instruction. Through qualitative methods, this study…

This article presents a case study of the sociological effects of two Australian educational policies--one federal and one state--upon the professional development practices supported by a group of teachers and administrators working together across a cluster of six schools in a rural community in south-east Queensland, Australia. The article…

The work of Lave and Wenger (1991; Wenger 1998) sets out a view of thinking about the development of professional expertise. In the case of novice teachers this considers them to be participating increasingly centrally in communities of fellow practitioners or "communities of practice". Lave and Wenger's view is that teachers, on joining schools,…

The article illustrates the hopes and challenges evident in my attempt to use action research as an approach to engage student teachers in reflective processes. The data was systematically generated from the student teachers themselves and from the diaries I noted through out the inquiry. The study suggested that while lack of previous experience…

This article examines key issues in lecturer development programmes (LDPs) in Scottish higher education institutions, within the context of the national standards established recently for those who teach in United Kingdom higher education (HE). Many of the LDPs were developed in response to the Dearing Committee recommendations that university…