Practice orientedteacher education reform

in University of TartuMargus Pedaste

Head of the PedagogicumProfessor of Technology Education

Why is it needed?

• Critique from society: not enough practical approaches, too much theory, gap between theory and practice

• External evaluation was seeking for more coherence within and between teacher education curricula of the University of Tartu

• Internal “general expectation“ for changes in the content and format of teacher education

Latest improvements

• New teacher education curricula (module of teacher’s professional studies)– Studies– Practice

• Network of Innovation Schools• Centre for Educational Innovation• New teachers’ professional standards

TEACHER’S PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

General information

• Teacher education curricula 300 ECP (most curricula) or 180 ECP (kindergarten teachers and vocational teachers)

• At least 60 ECP of teacher education professional studies in every curriculum in the University of Tartu, according to which teachers are educated.– basic module (24 ECP),– practice module (24 ECP),– didactics module (at least 12 ECP wherefrom at least 4 EAP

is domain didactics and at least 6 ECP subject didactics).

NETWORK OF INNOVATION SCHOOLS

Need for a new format for collaboration

• International debate on the quality of teacher educators and teachers.– making teaching an attractive career choice,– improving initial teacher education,– teachers’ continuous professional development,– appraisal system,– evaluation according to the needs of the 21st century.

• To strengthen systematic collaboration between schools and universities as teacher educators.

Model of Innovation Schools

• It adopts a teacher education paradigm of the clinician-professional model in order to initiate and disseminate educational innovation and respond to changes in society.

• Four dimensions of collaboration:– traineeship,– professional development,– team teaching,– research and development.

Properties of the Innovation Schools (1)

• The school has a special status acquired through competition.

• The school is a flexible educational institution where it is possible to adapt learning content and management in cooperation with a university according to the partners’ needs.

• The specific aspects of the innovation school are described in the statute of the school, in its development plans, and in a contract between the educational institution (school), the owner of the school, and the teacher education institution (e.g., university).

Conclusion

• We have plans…• We have pilots…• We have enthusiasm…• We have hope…• We will see…

Thank you!Margus Pedaste, margus.pedaste@ut.ee