The future of European teacher education in the heavy seas of higher education

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to reconsider recent pan-European developments in teacher education and to discuss some aspects of its future. Teacher education across Europe has been largely ‘universitised’; therefore, both its present and future should be discussed within the context of the general changes in European higher education deeply marked by the Bologna Process and the emerging European Higher Education Area. The author relies on Goodlad’s and Clark’s discussion of teacher education from a higher education perspective and tries to continue in the context of European higher education reforms of the past decade. The central controversy of these reforms has concerned the length of traditional undergraduate courses at universities in most continental countries (4 to 5 years), particularly with regard to the relationship between ‘academic’ and ‘professional’ higher education. Until today, most teacher education institutions have adapted to the new system of two ‘Bologna’ cycles (Bachelor and Master). However, the reforms have led to different interpretations and their implementation has varied in different countries, thus opening new dilemmas about the future of European teacher education.

Keywords:

• teacher education in Europe
• the Bologna Process
• higher education reforms
• ‘scientisation’ and ‘universitisation’ of teacher education
• academic versus professional higher education

Notes

1. See http://ec.europa.eu/education/focus/focus479_en.htm and http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/education_training_youth/general_framework/ef0016_en.htm

2. Nuland, S. B. 1999. “The Uncertain Art: The Medical School and the University.” The American Scholar 68 (1): 121–124.

3. Within the EU, under the OMC ‘governments learn from each other by sharing information and comparing initiatives. This enables them to adopt best practice and coordinate their national policies.’ See http://ec.europa.eu/youth/focus/open-method-of-coordination_en.htm (accessed 15 March 2013).

4. The Eurydice Network provides information on and analyses of European education systems and policies. See http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurydice/.

5. See http://ec.europa.eu/education/school-education/teacher-educator_en.htm (accessed 15 March 2013). Also see Biesta (2012, 10–12).

6. The European Commission declares Erasmus to be ‘the most successful student exchange programme in the world’. See http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/erasmus_en.htm (accessed 15 March 2013).

7. Beside Erasmus, the European Commission runs several programmes which enable the exchange of students and teachers: e.g. Comenius for teacher education institutions or Tempus for countries which are not EU member states.

8. See http://www.pef.uni-lj.si/index.php?id=482 (accessed 15 March 2013).

9. See http://www.unideusto.org/tuningeu/home.html (accessed 15 March 2013).