Challenges, reforms, and learning in initial teacher education

Abstract

This critical review of Australasian research concerns initial teacher education published in the period 2012-2015. The contribution to the field is organised into four broad areas: (a) research on teacher preparation: accountability, effectiveness, and policies; (b) research on teacher preparation for the knowledge society, which forms the bulk of the reviewed research; (c) research on teacher preparation for diversity; and (d) research focused on the work of teacher educators. Situated within educational settings that are undergoing continuous change and politicised attention, we note, in particular, research efforts to critically explore, design, and trial pedagogies, tasks, and partnerships associated with occasioning productive learning opportunities for prospective teachers to learn both the knowledge and the core practices of ambitious teaching.