Teacher educators across the UK and beyond constantly engage with challenges related to the nature of knowledge, scholarship, and practice. In England, policy frameworks often prioritise narrow interpretations of evidence-based practice, marginalising cultural, social, and reflective dimensions within initial teacher education (ITE). These frameworks increasingly contest the role of educational research, demanding that teacher educators navigate tensions between prioritising academic scholarship, practical expertise, or a balance of both. While Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and international contexts may operate under differing policies, they share similar struggles in responding to these challenges.
This TEAN webinar, with guest presenter Dr Anjali Shah, invited teacher educators to share their experiences of navigating these complex tensions, particularly in supporting beginning teachers to make sense of their new profession whilst themselves retaining fidelity in their own practice. Stories highlight how diverse perspectives, and shifting lenses, can enrich teaching while, at times also clashing, with existing systems of practice. Key questions include: How can teacher educators address the diverse needs of their student teachers? To what extent do placements foster expansive workplace learning? How can ITE programmes support cultural responsiveness, identity development, critical reflection, and social justice?
Participants explored how identity formation serves as a foundation for supporting beginning teachers in navigating the profession’s demands. By reflecting on their own practice, teacher educators can offer insights into the ways diverse perspectives—whether their own or those of their students—help shape a more inclusive, responsive educational landscape. This session also considered how teacher educators can support their students in negotiating the inevitable tensions between their values and the demands of the profession, ensuring that they emerge as culturally competent, reflective practitioners.
Through shared vignettes, this webinar provoked thoughtful discussion on the evolving role of teacher educators and the implications for a more equitable and diverse future in education.
| Period | 27 Feb 2025 |
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| Degree of Recognition | International |
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