Teacher Education in Times of Change

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Vol23_2__BOOK_REVIEW_Bain_2016.pdf

Book Review Details

Book Review Authors

Dr Yvonne Bain,

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If you want to know about changes within teacher education across the UK (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) and the Republic of Ireland, then this is an excellent source to explore the developments that have taken place over the last decade or so.  Prompted by the political interventions through policy changes and the ensuing developments in teacher education within the five nations from the 1980s to current times, the authors track pivotal changes that have impacted on teacher education and set these against a wider international perspective of teacher education policy and practice. 

The book has thirteen chapters, each of which is authored by one or two of the Teacher Education group, and is presented in four parts:

1. Setting the scene: context and methods
2. Teacher education policy in the five nations
3. Critical issues in teacher education policy: home international analyses
4. Conclusions

The authors, who are well-known in the field of teacher education, individually and collectively explore the unique aspects of changes in teacher education within the discrete chapters examining the political and culture influences in each of the five nations.  They then draw from these to offer a cross-nation analysis of the changes to highlight an insightful consideration of the emerging commonalities and unresolved questions and tensions current in teacher education.

My own professional context is teacher education in Scotland and consequently I found this to be a very helpful resource and commentary to reconsider my own context within a wider national and international perspective.  This book has much to offer anyone in who is interested in re-examining the diversity of teacher education, partnerships, the role of the university, research in and on teacher education, the influences of policy and practice, and implications for teacher education.  

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