On the complexities of educating student teachers: teacher educators’ views on contemporary challenges to their profession

Abstract

Recent research emphasises significant interconnections between teacher educators’ normative beliefs, their relations with student teachers and their teaching methods. In an attempt to better understand how teacher educators perceive of their work task, interviews were conducted with twelve Early Childhood teacher educators at a Swedish University. Four dimensions are in focus: (1) What in your work situation are you most satisfied with? (2) Describe your approach to students. (3) Describe any personal or professional dilemmas you may have experienced. (4) How do you think we can best maintain quality in teacher education? Results of the study show that teacher educators’ professional development is largely determined by intrinsic motivation. Positive aspects relate to feelings of self-esteem, nurturing meaningful relationships, and caring for students; negative aspects relate to concerns about a heavy workload, professional ambiguity and a lack of time for scholarly pursuits. Developing a professional identity involves a conscious choice of pedagogical methods (teaching), self-cultivation and sharing of knowledge through research (scholarship), and administrative responsibilities (service). The complexities and challenges involved in being a teacher educator are many. Understanding how teacher educators’ normative beliefs influence their work and relationships is an essential component for future research on teacher education professionalism.