This analysis defends the proposition that fewer competencies should be used in the organizing structure for teacher education programs. An objectives-oriented teacher education approach is described and three minimal competencies for such a strategy isolated, along with alternative assessment tactics for each. (Author/JA)

Fewer competencies should be used as the organizing structure for teacher education programs, since all relevant topics cannot be covered thoroughly anyway. One variant of an outcomes-focused approach to teacher education is an objectives-oriented strategy. The criterion is not what the teacher does but what happens to pupils as a consequence of…

If teacher competency tests were constructed according to a criterion-referenced paradigm, it would be possible both to assess worthwhile competencies and describe them with sufficient rigor. Such tests would thus be amenable to the design of effective instruction, permitting aspiring teachers to master the competencies identified. (Author/GC)