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Developing understanding about learning to teach in a university–schools partnership in England
Author(s) -
Taylor Alexis
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
british educational research journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.171
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1469-3518
pISSN - 0141-1926
DOI - 10.1080/01411920701491995
Subject(s) - general partnership , clarity , pedagogy , legislation , government (linguistics) , mathematics education , semi structured interview , psychology , qualitative research , sociology , political science , social science , biochemistry , chemistry , linguistics , philosophy , law
This study aims to provide some clarity about how learning to teach is understood by university teacher educators, mentors and students. Initial teacher education (ITE) in England is subject to central government legislation but without prescription for local implementation. Semi‐structured interview data was collected from key partners in a local university–schools partnership working within this central framework. Four ways of understanding learning to teach were identified, labelled: Cascading Expertise; Enabling Students' Individual Growth as a Teacher; Developing Student Teaching; and Student as Teacher and Learner. Each is characterised by an internal relationship between how teaching, student learning and partnership are understood, and relate across the groups, and not between the groups of the key partners. Each of these ways of understanding is discussed in relation to teaching, student learning and partnership development within a centrally imposed model. The possibility of a hierarchical relationship between these ways of understanding is highlighted and, along with other associated possibilities, is suggested as an area for further research.