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This paper presents a small-scale study of teacher educators. This is a relatively new field of study within education in general and higher education in particular. The study is intended to act as a pilot for larger-scale research into the knowledge bases of teacher educators. Much work has already been done on the knowledge bases of teachers in schools for example, the seminal work of Shulman (1986a; 1986b; 1987a) and Turner-Bisset (1999a, 2001c) on pedagogical content knowledge. This study sets out to explore the particular knowledge bases developed by teacher educators, and how these differ from those of expert teachers in schools. It further would enable an exploration of the specialised pedagogical knowledge of education faculty staff. Whilst there has been a great deal of research into teacher education and the processes of becoming a teacher, teacher educator research is a comparatively new field in educational research. A start has been made on the research agenda for teacher educators in the USA, but there is little existing research in the UK context. English teacher educators are an under-researched and poorly understood occupational group The present study is intended to build on the previous work through the exploration of the particular knowledge and expertise of teacher educators. On possible outcome of this exploration and analysis of teacher educators' knowledge bases is in the light of the diversity of routes into teaching promoted by government agencies, the clearer delineation of the role of higher education in the training of teachers. Aims o To investigate the knowledge bases of teacher educators; o To investigate how their knowledge bases develop during professional work in higher education; o To examine teacher educators' understandings and beliefs about teaching and learning; o To explore the influence of teacher educators' personal and professional routes into teacher education; o To examine the influence of faculty and institutional contexts on teacher educators. There were two strands to the researcho Documentary evidence: volunteer staff will be asked to complete a short questionnaire prior to an interview, outlining biographical data such as number of years in teaching; experience of teaching; experience of advisory work, and/or research curriculum vitae o Interview evidence: interviews lasting about ninety minutes, using a semi-structured questionnaire. The research was conducted in two sites: one pre-1992 university and one post-1992 university, in order to be able to examine institutional and contextual differences. A sample of six teacher educators from each institution were interviewed, including male and female staff, research active and non-research active, and those teaching on primary and secondary programmes. Data were analysed using frameworks derived from Turner-Bisset's work on teacher's knowledge bases.The findings suggest that this is potentially an extremely rich area of research and could inform understandings of pedagogy both in teacher education and teaching in school. Through the self-study of teacher education practice, teacher educators can articulate their pedagogy and collectively , we can move towards a model of pedagogy for teacher education. In addition the study reveals important differences between academic staff in pre and post 1992 universities, in their perceptions of the relationship between research and teaching. furthermore the findings suggest that there are important additional knowledge bases which teacher educators develop. These forms of knowledge are crucial for the long-term professional development of teachers. The study thus can be set both within the parameters of teacher education research and the wider traditions of pedagogy and didactics in Europe. Shulman, L. S. (1986a) Paradigms and research programmes in the study of teaching: a contemporary perspective, in: M. C. Wittrock (Ed.) Handbook of research on teaching (3rd edn) (New York,. Macmillan), 505-526. Shulman, L. S. (1986b) Those who understand: knowledge growth in teaching, Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4-14. Shulman, L. S. (1987) Knowledge and teaching: foundations of the new reforms, Harvard Educational Review, 57, 1-22. Turner-Bisset, R. A. (1999c) The knowledge bases of the expert teacher, British Educational Research Journal, 25 (1)39-55. Turner-Bisset, R. A. (2001) Expert Teaching: Knowledge and Pedagogy to Lead the Profession, London: David Fulton.European Journal of Teacher Education
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