Becoming a Teacher Educator

Anja Swennen, CETAR, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam , The Netherlands
Marcel van der Klink, Ruud de Moorcentrum, Open Universiteit Nederland, The Netherlands

The chairs of RDC ‘Professional development of teacher educators’, Anja Swennen and Marcel van der Klink, would like to invite you for a meeting about a book for novice teacher educators, with the title ‘Becoming a teacher educator’. We think it would be an attractive idea to publish a book that covers the various aspects and themes of becoming a teacher educator.
This invitation is for everyone who wants to be informed about the book, but especially for:

We will play the role of editors and do all the necessary work editors usually do. It is worthwhile to mention that we both have substantial experience with the process of editing books and journals. We want to make this book a truly ATEE-initiative. That means that we would like to invite RDC
members to formulate proposals for contributions of chapters for this book.
We would also like to invite ATEE-members, because of their expertise, to join the editorial board of the book. The role of this board is to review chapters and advice the authors and editors about particular chapters.
The book ‘Becoming a Teacher Educator’ is an introduction into teacher education for novice teacher educators. It is not an academic book based on research. The various chapters give an overview of the theory and practice in the field of teacher education and will inform those who are new in the
profession, many of whom are former teachers in primary and secondary education.
The book reflects the various thoughts, traditions and experiences of the European regions. Each chapter will be written by a minimum of two and a maximum of four authors who represent (at least two) the various European regions (north and south; east and west). This process may help to guarantee that this book becomes attractive for a large audience through Europe and maybe beyond.

Correlation Among Intellectual Giftedness Criteria and Indicators in the Context of Teachers' Conceptual Understanding of Intellectual Giftedness (not presented)

Irina Kokina, Daugavpils University , Latvia

The research on intellectual giftedness is a serious problem both in science and practice. Most often research question is focused on traditional approach towards evaluating giftedness, but mistakes made by teachers in defying and evaluating giftedness cost a lot.
The analysis of different conceptions of giftedness (Wechsler D., 1974; Renzulli J.S., Reis S.M. & Smith L.H., 1981; Ester W.K., 1982; Renzulli J.S., 1986; Raven J.C., 1991; Sternberg R.J., 1993; Armstrong T., 1994; Kholodnaya M.A., 1997; Babayeva J., 1999; Gardner H., 1999; Sternberg R.J., 2003 et. al.) indicates that there is a wide variety of opinions about the essence of giftedness. It is evident that there are more that one hundred definitions of giftedness. There is no single view on criteria and indicators of intellectual giftedness.
A lot of researchers (Fredriksen N., 1986; Gruber H.E., 1986; Schneider W., 1993 et. al.) point that for describing intellectual maturity there are other psychological mechanisms, which can not be measured by psychodiagnostical tests. Therefore we conclude that high intellectual indicators are not the basis to establish that an individual possesses extraordinary intellectual achievements.
Aim of the research: to explore the significance and correlation among intellectual giftedness criteria and indicators according to the following parameters:

In the research we used method "Intellectual Portrait of Gifted Children", which explores the following criteria:

Selecting, educating and advanced teacher training in the function of elementary school reform in Serbia

Prvoslav Jankovic, Teachers' Training Faculty, Sombor, Serbia and Montenegro
Tatjana Tubic, Teachers' Training Faculty, Sombor, Serbia and Montenegro
Spela Golubovic, Teachers' Training Faculty, Sombor, Serbia and Montenegro

There have been significant changes in the process of school reform in Serbia so far, which is especially evident in: the goals, i.e. the results of education, which are also highly valued in the education systems of the member countries in the European Union; the manner of tracking, evaluating and grading pupils (introducing the system of descriptive grades); gaining independence on the part of the teacher in creating and making of curricula; different treatment of pupils in the entire process of education with a special emphasis on respecting pupils` personalities and their subject position; creating the process of teaching and other educational processes which aim to develop special competence of pupils in order for them to be more independent in acquiring knowledge and solving their personal problems as well as those connected with school; including the children with special needs into regular primary education (inclusive education), etc.
All these changes require a different approach to the system of selecting, educating and advanced teacher training. They should take into consideration the development of the professional competences required by the directions of changes, i.e. primary school reforms, especially those competences connected with the increased efficiency of teaching, achieving different goals of education, humanization and individualization of teaching, etc.
In order to gain a better insight into possible directions of changes in the system of selection, education and advanced teacher training, this paper aims to:

Teacher Education for Natural Science and Didactic of Natural Science in Serbia

Natasha Brankovic, Teachers' Training Faculty, Sombor, Serbia and Montenegro
Branislav Grdinic, Teachers' Training Faculty, Sombor, Serbia and Montenegro

Modern methodic of teaching natural science are based on modern methodical approaches which are grounded as synthesis of contemporary theoretical learning about development thoughtful processes scholar and serious tentatively research of efficiency of this learning. There are just a few tentatively research in the didactic of natural science in Serbia, in the past, and the reason is poor knowledge of the basic determinants in teaching natural science. Authors of this abstract would like to explain some basic determinants in teaching natural science (1. - 4. grade primary school) today, in the process of transition, when Serbia is close to Europe: vocation dignity, levels of demands, artifice of teaching modelling and quality of evaluation phase, and what rolls do this determinants play in the new philosophy of natural and experimental science. Authors would like to present some courses for preservice training of teachers at the Teacher Education Faculty in Sombor, in Serbia. Those courses give prospective teachers good knowledge and standards in natural science in school and in the didactic of natural science, too.

Authentic course – History Didactics

Danijela Trskan, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

The poster presents the History Didactics Course, which is organised by the Department of History at Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana ( Slovenia ) and is one of the educational courses that train undergraduate students to become teachers of History in lower and upper secondary schools in Slovenia .
The poster presents several reforms, which were introduced in the academic year 2002/2003, in different ways (graphic presentation, graphs, photos, pictures...). In the following years the reforms were implemented in accordance with the wishes of students and the current trends in the modern European development of the initial teacher training.
Firstly, it outlines the aims, standards and study requirements of the course. The course trains the students to monitor their own personal progress and reflect on their teaching practice. Besides this, it offers possibilities for the development of process skills and lifelong competences in various teaching/learning situations.
Secondly, a short description of different practical assignments of the course is given. The practical course includes: a seminar paper in the form of a pedagogical article on different didactic issues; a group assignment; lesson observations in lower and upper secondary schools with follow-up group discussions; observations of lessons taught by fellow students; lesson planning; formally assessed individually taught lessons in lower and upper secondary schools; obligatory two-week teaching practice in lower or upper secondary schools; oral exam (with questions based on Bloom's taxonomy) and designing student's portfolio.
Thirdly, the poster describes alternative assessment of student's work. Alternative assessment, self-assessment and peer-assessment serve as excellent feedback information, which helps students to improve their work and facilitates their success. The new role of university teachers also demands that they monitor, evaluate and assess student's progress, skills and knowledge systematically.
Moreover, special reference booklets of the study requirements are presented, as well as the content of the web site and students' internal publication (Contributions to History Didactics).
Finally, it shows the vision of quality training of future History teachers and the new role of a university teacher. A modern university teacher should reflect on his/her teaching practice and explore possibilities for improvements and modernisation.
To sum up, a university teacher is presented as an action researcher, who improves the quality of learning and teaching by offering possibilities for the students themselves to introduce changes.
The above example illustrates one of numerous possibilities for organisation of the initial teacher training that begins already at the undergraduate level of study.

Standards for music teachers against the background of changes in the education system in Poland

Ewa Szatan, University of Gdansk, Poland

Music education is one of many subjects taught in Polish primary and secondary schools and music education teachers acquire their knowledge at universities, higher pedagogical schools and music academies.
The aim of the current changes in the Polish education system is to adjust the standards of teacher training to the standards of teaching children and teenagers in a way in which the competence of the teacher will guarantee that the required level of student development in the field of music education will be achieved. At the same time, the discussion concerning the place of music education in the curriculum and the modification of the contents of this subject as a result of the national education reform have given rise to an animated and very often critical debate.
The changes in teacher training curricula, introduced by particular educational institutions, are accompanied by a shift from hitherto five-year courses to two-level courses: three-year BA studies (vocational) and two-year MA studies (“The Bologna Declaration”). The analysis of standards in teacher training contained in this presentation will focus first and foremost on the first level of studies i.e. vocational courses.
The comparisons made will relate to the education of students for the purpose of the comprehensive school system in higher non-artistic and artistic schools.
The following will be considered:

iNet

Justin Philcox, Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, England
Theresa Holden, Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, England

The mission of International Networking for Education Transformation (iNet) is to create powerful and innovative networks of schools that have achieved or have committed themselves to achieving systematic, significant and sustained change that ensures outstanding outcomes for all students in all settings'.
The main features of this network are commitment to the raising of achievement through:

The Development of iNet has four core purposes for the Specialist Schools Trust: 

>> iNet website

Meeting NCATE, INTASC, and WVCSO Standards: Successful Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs

Maryann J. Ehle, West Liberty State College, United States of America
Elsa C. Price, Faulkner University, United States of America

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) is recognized by the United States Department of Education as the accrediting body for colleges and universities that prepare teachers and other professional personnel for work in elementary and secondary schools. Through its voluntary, peer review process, NCATE ensures that accredited institutions produce competent, caring, and qualified teachers and other professional school personnel who can help all students learn. Accountability and improvement in teacher preparation are central to NCATE's mission. The NCATE accreditation process determines whether schools, colleges, and departments of education meet demanding standards for the preparation of teachers and other professional school personnel. Through this process, NCATE provides assurance to the public that the graduates of accredited institutions have acquired the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to help all students learn. NCATE revises its unit accreditation standards every five years to ensure that the standards reflect current research and state-or-the-art practice in the teaching profession.
The standards measure an institution's effectiveness according to the profession's expectations for high quality teacher preparation as America enters the 21st century. To seek accreditation, an institution must met specific preconditions. Once the preconditions are met, NCATE schedules an accreditation visit. The institution then prepares a report, describing how it meets each of the six standards.
This paper will focus on the strategies utilized by our institution, West Liberty State College, in the state of West Virginia , to successfully meet each of the NCATE Standards. All material was forwarded to NCATE's Unit Accreditation Board, which reviewed the data and made the final decision to grant full accreditation status to WLSC.
Probably the most significant aspect of the NCATE standards is the conceptual framework. WLSC's conceptual framework is Teacher as a Catalyst. This framework is the underlying structure of our Professional Education Unit that sets forth a vision of the unit and provides a theoretical and empirical foundaton for the direction of programs, courses, teaching, candidate performance, faculty scholarship, faculty service, and unit accountability. WLSC met each NTASC standard - Candidate Knowledge, Skills, Dispositions; Assessment and Evaluation, Field Clinical Experience; Diversity; Faculty Qualifications, Performance and Development; and Unit Governance and Resources.
WLSC's meeting of the NCATE standards is consistent with meeting the West Virginia Content Standards and Objectives (WVCSOs), applied in all pedagogical venues by our students and faculty. This paper will demonstrate that relationship, as well as that among NCATE Standards, WVCSOs, and INTASC (Interstate New Teachers Support Consortium) Standards.

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Portuguese science teachers' use of laboratory activities before and after the school curriculum reorganization

Luís Dourado, University of Minho, Portugal
Laurinda Leite, University of Minho, Portugal

Since the integration of science in the school curricula laboratory activities have concentrated decision makers' and teachers' attention. On one hand they were taken as building blocks of arguments for science teaching. On the other hand they were conceptualized as a mean for developing students' cognitive abilities as well as a powerful teaching resource. Nevertheless, a mismatch still exists between the theoretical contribution of laboratory activities to the teaching and learning processes and the profit that is taken from them in diary classroom practice.
The last two curriculum reforms carried out in Portugal have concentrated a great deal of attention in laboratory activities as a teaching and learning resource. However, while the 1991 reform introduced a few laboratory techniques courses in the curriculum together with the former physical sciences and natural sciences courses, the 2001 curriculum reorganization kept only the usual physical sciences and natural sciences courses. Furthermore, the latter curriculum reorganization increased the time of a class from 50 to 90 minutes. The idea was to create better conditions for students to become actively involved in the learning process and to carry out laboratory activities within the traditional science courses.
There is some empirical evidence that teachers' practice is resistant to change and hardly influenced by curriculum innovations. In addition, research has shown that teachers seldom use laboratory activities in their classes and when they do so they tend to choose closed and teacher centred laboratory activities.
Thus, the objective of this paper is to analyse whether or not science teachers are aware of relevant changes in their practice concerning the use of laboratory activities due to curriculum reorganization. Data from a national survey indicate that junior high school science teachers' practices may not have suffered such changes. Therefore, it seems that teacher education is needed in order to overcome the mismatch between curriculum policies and teachers' practice concerning the use of laboratory activities.

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Intercultural Aspects of Teacher Mobility in Teacher Training

Piedad Martín, University of Alcala, Spain
Carmen Pérez de Landazábal, University of Alcala, Spain
Lina Sierra, University of Alcala, Spain

This poster will present an experience planned in the Socrates Comenius 2.1 Project 'CON-SCIENCE. Science as a tool for life: Conceptual Change'. The project has been financed by the European Community. Student teachers of Science in Initial Training will have a mobility programme staying in Secondary Schools in several European countries ( Spain , Germany , Ireland , Italy and Romania ). They will attend lessons at school and participate in these lessons being supervised by a mentor. Student teachers will have preparatory seminars in their own countries before visiting the other European countries in order to offer the best possible view of their own country life. Moreover, the student teachers will participate in school life: meetings of teachers, assessment sessions, cultural activities, etc. Furthermore, the European student teachers will enrich the receiving school with their culture, many intercultural activities can take place at the school, such as cooking sessions of typical dishes, singing typical songs, video sessions showing the geography, art, history of the respective European country, etc. Then, the aim of this mobility programme is that both student teachers and the receiving school community will benefit from an intercultural approach, and at the same time student teachers can observe other systems of education and improve their teaching of Science.
In our opinion, the key to a successful mobility consists of its preparation and the coordination of the Universities, members of the CON-SCIENCE project with the receiving schools.

Teacher Training: A Case Study, 'Reflections on the Opening and Closing of a Lesson'

Piedad Martín, University of Alcala, Spain
Carmen Pérez de Landazábal, University of Alcala, Spain
Lina Sierra, University of Alcala, Spain

A consideration of beginnings and endings of lessons is an essential topic for initial teacher training (ITT); student teachers need to be aware that the successful development of a lesson greatly depends on how a lesson starts. It is quite well known that some teachers begin their lessons without any introduction to help pupils to engage with the topic being dealt with, linking, for example, with their previous knowledge related to this topic. Consequently, it seems useful to introduce some reflections on the presentation of a lesson at its beginning, and on its closing. Ending a lesson requires a summary of the main points which can facilitate links with the next lesson.
This paper tries to show a CD with a real case study where observation of the opening and closing of the lesson has been analysed. This CD has been elaborated with the finance of the Socrates Comenius 2.1 Project 'TICEC: Las TIC para el estudio de casos en la formación del profesorado' (TICEC: The use of ICT in Case Study in Teacher Training).

DTMp: A Comenius 2.1 project to produce a Differentiated Teaching Module for primary school trainee teachers

Paul Bartolo, University of Malta, Malta
Peter Ale, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, The Netherlands

As European classrooms become more heterogeneous, it is being understood that an essential set of competencies that teachers must acquire are those related to inclusive education and differentiated teaching. This poster sets out a framework for these competences as well as a training module for enabling teachers to acquire them that have been developed as part of a Comenius 2.1 project (2004-07) consisting of seven Eu partners, namely Malta (Coordinator), Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, Sweden and the UK. Building on the results of a qualitative investigation of teachers' concerns in this area of professional development, the framework puts a lot of stress on the development of relevant teacher attitudes. Attitude competencies are addressed together with Knowledge competencies. However, the framework also includes a section on Teaching competencies such as those for creating an inclusive climate and organizing differentiated teaching and learning. It is proposed that these competencies be regarded as an essential part of the teacher-training curriculum.

Trends in research on teacher standards: A general survey of papers' abstracts sent to the 30th ATEE annual conference in 2005

Içara Holmesland, Akershus University College, Norway

The theme of the 30th ATEE annual conference in Amsterdam has attracted contributions from educational researchers, practitioners and policy makers who are directly or indirectly involved with the education of teachers. A total of 150 abstracts were sent to the conference organizers and made available through ATEE home page in the internet. These abstracts provide a very rich source of information about current research on standards for teachers within Europe , as well as outside this context, such as in countries like Australia , USA , Israel , and others.
This paper presents a meta-analysis of the abstracts of papers sent by educators to this conference and provides an overview of their research focuses and concerns. The concern for carrying out this analysis springs from needs related to globalisation and the increased internationalisation of educational institutions across the world. A good understanding about standards for teaching, their implementation, and their effects has, thus, become an international concern. This analysis is the first step toward further investigation of the papers' content after their delivery at this conference.

Integration of minority students in higher education and work life

Ellen Beate Halvorsen, Akershus University College, Norway

This Leonardo da Vinci pilot project within LdV-programmes is coordinated by Akershus University College , Norway . Partners of the project are; two from Germany , one from Greece , one from Austria and one from Portugal , representing Universities and training centres. The project is a 2-years project, finishing this autumn.
The aim of the project is better integration of immigrants in higher education and in work life. Access to the labour market depends on skilled and competent workers. Many immigrants hesitate to start higher education, and for some training programmes, over fifty percent do not complete their studies and become drop outs, or have a very slow progression in studies. This is due to various reasons, and most likely to linguistic and cultural issues.
The present project develops two main products that might reduce barriers to start training programmes and also might help minority students to fulfil their studies, being support for giving them access to the labour market. And above all, support programmes to students and teachers might stimulate to tolerance and acceptance among cultures, also native/majority students, and thereby foster a better integration and inclusion. Teaching multicultural student groups might demand another pedagogical perspective from teachers and tutors.
The two products are:

1. A Studybook to students in academic writing and multicultural issues. The Studybook has an ICT version, with interactive exercises. Attending and fulfilling this course, will give credit points.
2. A Manual to teachers followed up by a course or by a day-seminar within the same issues that seem to constitute challenges to minority students. Organise teaching and counselling in multicultural classes, might demand some other qualifications than mono-ethnics/monocultural student groups do. This Manual has an ICT version.

Education programmes at GROEP T

Nele Verboven, GROEP T, Belgium

This poster presents the teacher education programmes at GROEP T University of Professional Education in Leuven , Belgium . It contains an overview of our teacher training courses, the structure of the curriculum, the evaluation and assessment methods, the projects,the professional competences of the teacher,the teaching practices and work placements abroad,the metawork (coaching and reflection) and portfolio and Leuven, Flanders' most famous university and students town.

>> GROEP T website

TOM: Adaptive Education and Team Teaching

Lydia van Andel, Teamonderwijs Op Maat, The Netherlands

This video presentation will highlight this Dutch project, that was initiated by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science.

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>> TOM website

The House of My Grandmother

Maarten van der Burg, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, The Netherlands

.... is an internet project about celebrating heritage. Pupils or students in classrooms, groups of teachers or other educators or even elderly persons in elderly homes collect memories about one of their grandmothers. A starting point is an object that is shown to the other persons. A memory or upcoming association is told to the others. Than persons gather in groups and they are making stories about this memory. The group members help each other to make these stories more beautiful.
The stories are presented to the group during a talkshow. Group members function as talk show hosts and minute takers. The minute takers note down on a black/white -board the most important words per story. The storyteller makes up a title together with the whole group. After the stories are performed to the group, the story tellers turn to their computers where these stories are placed on the Grandmother site.
This project is developed for Amsterdam pupils and student on primary and high schools. The house ... is part of their education in diversity classrooms, Pupils get to know each other much better. They also work on their language development. Amsterdam teachers use the set up for the grandmother sessions as a method to come from spoken language to written language. By making use of minute takers the pupils see written forms of important words they have heard. Usually these words are incorporated in each others written stories. In Amsterdam we try to make use of the mother language of the grandmothers. When preparing for the talks show element, the participants are asked to say something like a wisdom what they have heard from this grandmother in the original language. Amsterdam is a very multilingual community.
When placing the story on the Grandmother Site pupils see a lot more stories from other persons. So they start to search for people they know.
Aim of the project is rewrite the contemporary history of the Amsterdam citizens. This part of oral history doesn't find its place in history books or lessons. And defines Amsterdam are a real and beautiful multi-cultural community. With it roots all over this world.
A lot of Amsterdam schools have adopted The House. You can see some of their stories on our pilot site www.grootmoeders.nl. When the schools are working with the project they get their own url. The stories will be merged later on in the project. One of project aims is that the mayor of Amsterdam will give these stories to the inhabitants of the city.
A special site is developed for San Diego US. As a usefull experiment we exchanged grandmother stories in English between Amsterdam and San Diego Schools (see http://us.grootmoeders.nl)

>> Grootmoeders website
>>

Critical Reflection on Teacher from the Point of Standards

Lidija Radulovic, Teacher Education Center, Yugoslavia

This essay is an outcome of an analysis of literature on teachers, as well as the author's continuous research from the point of her teacher educator role. Reflecting on teacher from the point of standardized competencies is seen as one of the perspectives prevailing in last decades of XX century. Some advantages of this perspective are considered dealing with its applicability on understanding teaching profession and contributing to dealing with education issues in general. Also, some difficulties and artefacts with this approach are discussed.
As the advantages, we are considering relevance of standards for teacher practical work and orientation to what a teacher can learn and be trained in – which is an advantage useful for teacher education and evaluation development and in a number of similar educational issues.
Possible difficulties and shortages are considered from multiple aspects: How to identify and define teacher competencies, how to transform them into standards; what would be the benefits of determined competencies and standards for everyday education practice; what is their relevance for teacher rights and status... These multiple issues are reflecting methodological-epistemological fremework of standard-based approach to teacher role bringing the issue of afirming multiple components and complexity of teacher professional role with social-ethical aspect emphasized among them.

Towards TE standards: Reforming Teacher Initial Education as Part of HE reform at Belgrade University

Vera Rajovic, Belgrade University, Yugoslavia

In this paper we would like to share with participants our experiences and projects related to reforming TE as part of HE reform in Serbia.
First step, We are introducing participants to our TE center as an interdepartmental unit at Faculty of philosophy with a mission to 1) provide students/future teachers by initial (or pre-service) teacher education, 2) provide professional development activities for in-service training and 3) be responsible for continuous development and improvement of teacher education scholarship through a substantially interdisciplinary field of scholarship.
Observing HE reform in Serbia, we proceed with an analysis of context relevant for teacher education reform: Individual departments' at FF concepts of undergraduate and postgraduate studies, professional education as part of the studies, TE status through departments/majors, current situation in TE related to the needs assesment.
Based on current situation and needs assesment, we are identifying framework for TE reform as part of HE reform through: Bologna process, study plans and curricular reform at FF, multiple professional roles and competencies of teachers, and contemporary scholarship in teaching sciences, research on teachers and their education.
Needs assessment has clearly demonstrated that next areas of action are needed:

In order to be able to work on these tasks, we have identified next relevant aspects:

• Stakeholders networking
• Professional development of teacher educators – teaching update
• Revising TE plan according to aforementioned framework.