Rationale for the Study

Modern society is the achievement society in which not race, color or gender but the merits gained through schooling are rewarded. Both academic and social merits are gained through education. Therefore, we all want our children to achieve high in school.  Student achievement in school is produced through the contribution of students themselves, family, school, teachers, community, media and the like. Among these forces, teachers play a significant role (Darling-Hamond, 2006; Ozcan 2011; 2013).

Since the late 1970s and early 1980s there is search in Europe, in the USA and around the world to re-structure teacher education (Darling-Hammond and Lieberman, 2012; Sahlberg, 2015). The search for reform in teacher education started in Finland in 1978. In the USA, the publications of A Nation At Risk (1983), Tomorrow’s Teachers (1986), Tomorrow’s Schools (1990) and Tomorrow’s Schools of Education (1996) were significant early steps in this reform movement. These publications are just some examples. In the world, the search for a better model of teacher education is still going on (Darling-Hammond, 2006; 2012; Ozcan, 2013).

Goal of the Study

The goal of the study is to develop a new model of teacher education based on university-school partnership to educate professional teachers who know about, respect to and are able to teach all students regardless of how diverse they are. In the study, a new teacher education model is developed through considering the common features of successful programs of teacher education in Europe, in the U.S. and around the world (Darling-Hammond and Lieberman, 2012; Darling-Hammond, 2006).

Theoretical Framework

Educational reform is not possible without reforming teacher education. Teaching is a special profession, which must be performed by dedicated professionals who are selected and educated for this special and significant task. (Sahlberg, 2011; Cochran-Smith & Zeichner, 2005; Beck & Kosnik, 2006; Ankara University, 2007; Darling-Hammond, 2006; U.S. Department of Education, 2011; YÖK, 2007; NCATE, 2010).

There are various models of teacher education in Europe, in the USA and around the world (Darling-Hammond and Lieberman, 2012; Cochran-Smith and Zeichner, 2005; Cochran-Smith, Feiman-Nemser, McIntyre, et. al, 2008; Irby, Brown, Lara-Alecio, et al, 2011). Research shows that the most effective teachers are those who gain substantial amount of experience in the workplace. Teachers, like physicians, must gain both knowledge base of their profession and also must practice it in their workplace before graduating. Experiential learning theory (Zijdeömans-Boudreau, Moss, and Lee, 2011) constructivism (Narayan, Rodrigues, Araujo, et al, 2011), and situated learning theory (Jenlink and Sustin) provide theoretical foundations that teacher education should use experiential, practice-based methods. The best teacher education programs around the world require teacher candidates gain extended hours of practice in schools (Darling-Hammond and Lieberman, 2012; 2006).

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