Preparing Social Studies Teachers for the Twenty-First Century: Perspectives on Program Effectiveness from a Study of Six Exemplary Teacher Education Programs in Global Education

Abstract

Over the last twenty years some social studies teacher educators have developed programs that prepare teachers to teach global perspectives. This study examined six exemplary teacher education programs in global education in order to identify factors related to program effectiveness. Special attention was paid to the perspectives of the teacher educators and their clients—the preservice and inservice teachers, school administrators, or curriculum supervisors who are served by the programs. A broad scope of program offerings and formats, support services, collaboration with other institutions and organizations, visible channels of communication, opportunities for professional growth, and excellence in leadership were some of the more important factors related to program effectiveness. Although the programs are idiosyncratic in order to address local contexts, they all respond to the felt needs of educators, treat teachers as professionals and overcome the ad hoc nature of inservice education through long term collaboration with schools.