On the shoulder of giants: advice for beginning teacher educators

ABSTRACT

Teacher educators are an occupational group who appear to suffer from an identity crisis. They do not seem to be able to agree on what their role or professional learning needs are. This situation has dire consequences for the next generation of teacher educators who enter the field in the same rather haphazard and ad hoc way as the ones before. This phenomenon might further explain why it has been called the hidden profession with reports of a general lack of professional induction, mentoring and advice. To explore this issue, a study of twenty “accomplished” university-based teacher educators were posed questions, one in particular asked, “what advice would you give beginning teacher educators” ? A key finding is the important role a teacher educator plays as a public intellectual and the new skills and knowledges required to fulfil this role in an increasingly complex, multifaceted and digital world. 33

KEYWORDS:

• Teacher educators
• public intellectual
• identity
• professional learning

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all twenty 'accomplished’ teacher educators for contributing their expertise and sharing their advice and stories.

Ethics statement

Ethics permission for the study was gained (QUT ethics approval number 1,800,000,054) and then submitted to the other university ethics committees.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Simone White

Simone White is Professor and Associate Dean (International and Engagment) in the Faculty of Education at QUT.

Jean Murray

Jean Murray Jean Murray is Professor at the Cass School of Education and Communities at the University of East London.

A. Lin Goodwin

A. Lin Goodwin is Professor and Dean of Education at Hong Kong University.

Clare Kosnik

Clare Kosnik Clare Kosnik is Professor in the Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.

Clive Beck

Clive Beck Clive Beck is Professor Emeritus with the Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.