Instructional Design and Technology Trends in Teacher Education: An AECT Teacher Education Division Special Issue of TechTrends

Excerpt

Traditionally, teacher education has focused on faculty at higher education institutions preparing future teachers and/or training practicing teachers new skills. (e.g., early teacher colleges). In recent years, private entities and corporations have entered the foray of preparing future teachers, as well as evaluating their performance and that of practicing teachers. As the high-stakes climate continues to escalate in Pre-Kindergarten through high school (PK-12) settings, so, too, does the degree of accountability for and pressure on those who prepare future teachers (Gonzales 2014; Polly in press). In some states, value-added assessments have been mandated to empirically evaluate how teacher education programs are linked to PK-12 student achievement (Educational Policy Initiative at Carolina 2014). This data is public and available for everyone to see. Further, additions of performance-based assessments such as edTPA and more rigorous licensure tests have added more straws to the camel’s back, forcing teacher education programs to prioritize what should be included and excluded from pre-service teacher program curriculum. …