Developing a ‘clinical’ model for teacher education

Abstract

This paper reports on the introduction of a 'clinical model' of teacher education at the University of Glasgow in 2011. The account is set against the backdrop of a review of major contemporary developments in teacher education. The common focus in this work is on such themes as the key function of the practicum, on 'teaching schools' and on the roles and responsibilities of the various players in teacher professional learning. The context for reform of teacher education in Scotland is described, showing how the opportunity for a radical intervention arose. The distinctive features of the Glasgow model are set out and a summary of the findings of the internal evaluation carried out at the University is offered. Issues identified include challenges of communication, the nature of professional learning and the cultural embeddedness of existing practices. In the light of this initiative, the paper then reviews insights gained concerning the relationship between policy, practice and research in teacher education, before concluding with comments on the future of research in teacher education.

Postgraduate student teachers’ developing conceptions of the place of theory in learning to teach: ‘more important to me now than when I started’

“…Conroy, Hulme, and Menter (2013), for example, report on a Scottish experiment with the 'clinical' approach to ITE, involving the embedding of HEI staff and learning practices within school settings. Similarly, on a larger scale, highly trained, school-based teacher educators now exist in the Netherlands, though, as pointed out by van Velzen et al (2012), this system presents its own dilemmas and necessitates reshaping the collaborative activities undertaken in school.…”

Creating an in-school pastoral system for student teachers in school-based initial teacher education

“…In the UK, these models have included (in England) the Graduate Teacher Programme, School Centred Initial Teacher Training models and, most recently, School Direct. Internationally (and also in Scotland in the UK), this has included a renewed interest in clinical models of ITE (Burn & Mutton, 2013;Conroy, Hulme, & Menter 2013;McLean Davies et al, 2013;NCATE, 2010).…”

Teacher Educator Identity in a Culture of Iterative Teacher Education Program Design: A Collaborative Self-Study

“…This focus on teacher education is a global matter (Conroy, Hulme, & Menter, 2013;Hökkä & Eteläpelto, 2014;Murray, 2008), and the reform of teacher education programs does not come without challenges, including a sense of global competition for today's young students (Hökkä & Eteläpelto, 2014), as well as top-down policies and mandates that impact classroom teachers, making it challenging to find local contexts in which teacher candidates can learn to apply best instructional practices (Sterrett & Bond, 2012). Today's teacher candidates must be equipped to "…understand and respond to the dense and multifaceted nature of the classroom…" (DarlingHammond, 2006, p. 305).…”

“…Numerous studies focus on the impact of teacher education programs on teacher candidates (Baumgartner, Koerner, & Rust, 2002;Bullough & Baugh, 2008;Capraro, Capraro, & Helfeldt, 2010;Cochran-Smith, 2003;Conroy, Hulme & Menter, 2013;Cuthrell, Stapleton, Bullock, Lys, Smith, & Fogarty, 2014;Denton, 1982;Sterrett & Bond, 2012). The goal of these studies is often to better understand the knowledge base of the teacher candidate, as well as the overall achievement of students that work with the teacher candidates in local schools (Henry et al, 2013;Henry et al, 2014;Sterrett & Bond, 2012).…”