Teacher Education in Challenging Times : Lessons for Professionalism, Partnership and Practice

Teacher education is experiencing a period of dramatic and arguably irrevocable change within a wider context of turbulence in the English education system. With contributions from a range of teacher educators and academics in the field, Teacher Education in Challenging Times presents sustainable, robust, and informed responses to the challenges posed by the current unrest in the education sector.

This book considers the nature of teacher professionalism, the nurturing of truly collaborative partnerships between universities, schools and other agencies, and developments in practice with tangible impact for children and young people. Drawing on important research and illustrations of policy and practice from England and other countries, chapters present a series of counter-cultural ideas, principles and practices that respond to pressing challenges facing educators in a range of contexts. Positive and forward-looking, this book offers a robust defence of the present need for high-quality teacher education in challenging times.

This book is a timely contribution to an international debate about the future of teacher educators and should be of key interest to academics, researchers and postgraduate students in the fields of teacher education, philosophy and sociology of education, policy and politics of education, and pedagogy. It will also appeal to a range of practitioners, including trainers, local authority officers, professional groups, educational service providers, and educational and school improvement consultants.

Philip M. Bamber is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Liverpool Hope University where he is Head of the Department of Education Studies. His research interests include transformative learning, (global) citizenship and values in education. He is currently Associate Director of TEESNet, the UK Teacher Education for Equity and Sustainability Network. Phil has led and participated in research funded by the Department for International Development, European Union, Higher Education Academy, Church of England, OXFAM and the Porticus Foundation.

Jane C. Moore is the Head of Teacher Education and Director of the Professional Doctorate at Liverpool Hope University. Her research interests include teacher education, teacher identity and school leadership and professionalism. She has presented at a range of international conferences and published in the European Journal of Teacher Education. Her recent and current research with colleagues has involved collaboration with a large number of schools and teachers in projects that are designed to have a positive and tangible impact on practice and educational outcomes.