Pre-service teacher research: a way to future-proof teachers?

ABSTRACT

Internationally, the attention to pre-service teacher research and inquiry in teacher education is growing. In the Netherlands, pre-service teacher research has been a compulsory component of primary teacher education for a decade. The assumption is that such research can help ‘future-proof’ teachers. This study examines the relationships among the quality of inquiry, the quality of teaching and pre-service teachers’ perception of this research. Scores for assessments of graduating pre-service teachers (N=650) and a survey (n=236) were used as measurements. The findings indicate positive perceptions of practitioner research and a positive correlation between the quality of inquiry and quality of teaching. Using these data, the study identifies four profiles of pre-service teachers, differentiated by their perceived learning outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Pre-service teacher research
• teacher quality
• student perception of practitioner research

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lidewij Van Katwijk

Lidewij van Katwijk is a researcher and teacher educator at RUG, Groningen University and NHL Stenden University of applied sciences, Leeuwarden. Her research interests concern the purpose and value of pre-service teacher research and implications for curriculum development.

Ellen Jansen

Ellen Jansen is an associate professor at the Department of Teacher Education of the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences at Groningen University. Her research interests concern research and development in higher education.

Klaas Van Veen

Klaas van Veen is a professor of Educational Studies at the Department of Teacher Education of the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences at Groningen University. His research activities are primarily concerned with the pedagogy and effectiveness of teacher learning.