Teacher education policy in Ireland and the challenges of the twenty‐first century

Abstract

In line with the principles of the Bologna Process, teacher education systems across Europe are converging along a common path. Taking the Republic of Ireland (Ireland) as a case study, this paper examines the European agenda in relation to teacher education and asks how individual nation states are coping with the demands of greater comparability and compatibility. It suggests that while structurally, teacher education in Ireland has undergone significant reform in order to conform to a wider European agenda, significant gaps remain in existing teacher education policy particularly in relation to continuous professional development which will, if not addressed, impede Ireland’s capacity to adequately prepare teachers for the challenges of the twentieth‐first century.

Keywords:

• Ireland
• educational policy
• teacher education

Notes

1. Also significant at policy level is the Higher Education Authority (HEA), the statutory planning and policy development body for higher education and research in Ireland. The HEA is also the funding authority for the universities, institutes of technology and a number of higher education institutions. It is also the Irish contact point for several EU lifelong learning programmes.

2. The 3 Is is the term commonly used to refer to the three stages in the teacher life cycle – initial, induction and in‐service education.

3. Leadership Development Service; Second Level Support Service; Junior Cycle Physical Education; Religious Education Support Service; Leaving Certificate Applied; Transition Year; School Development Planning Initiative; Junior Certificate Schools Programme; Primary Professional Development Service; Reading Recovery; and Maths Recovery.

4. These include the Project Maths Development Team, the Special Education Support Service, An tSeirbhis Tacaiochta Dara Leibheal don Ghaeilge, the National Behaviour Support Service, T4 and Social Personal and Health Education.