In this commentary, William J. Hunter reflects on this career, and struggles with the fact that teacher preparation programs do not include a course in educational research. When this was mentioned to colleagues (or students), a highly predictable response was "Why should teacher candidates learn about research?" Years of trying to give…

This issue of "Studying Teacher Education" is devoted to researching the experience of practicum in teacher education. They come from a multi-year research project funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Located at four Canadian universities, the five authors of this special issue investigated the…

This paper examines the experiences of two colleagues working in close collaboration over several years to create, implement, and assess an innovative and integrative cohort-based, preservice-teacher, field-experience curriculum in a new Bachelor of Education program. Engaging a duoethnographic narrative approach, this paper both inquires into the…

This article argues for the importance of broad and on-going research to support initial or pre-service teacher education program admissions. Examples from a large initial teacher education program at one Canadian university illustrate the contributions of research to the evaluation and refinement of admission processes. These examples include…

As co-editors of this theme issue of this journal, the authors have accepted that knowledge systems and teacher education programs are deeply interconnected. Further, they claim that teacher education programs must incorporate in theory and practice the fact that knowledge systems are a determining factor in the effectiveness of a teacher…

The teaching of foundations courses, and in particular philosophy of education, is frequently under siege in teacher education programs across Canada, as these programs struggle to meet other demands on student teachers. This article results from a panel discussion addressing the context of a variety of undergraduate philosophy of education…

An account of three researchers' efforts to make sense of preservice teachers' assessment practices reveals how methodologically diverse investigations emanated from the context of a single study. Developments, findings, and warrants that characterize this inquiry are presented, as well as arguments describing this study as exploratory,…

Canadians live in a world of mega-spin where public relations corporate lobbyists play an increasingly larger role in news-making. To resist this trend, I have studied political ideology to understand the relationship between corporate media and systems of social, economic, and political power, and their hegemonic function, and indicate the bias…

Critical reflection is an essential element in teachers' efforts to address the social justice issues that are often part of their lived experiences and those of their students. When educators begin to examine how power, privilege, and widely accepted assumptions about their practice may be working against their goals, such as eliminating forms of…

This paper presents a model for the preparation of Quebec teachers of special needs children across disability categories. The proposed model emphasizes collaborative consultation among regular and special educators, collaboration with parents, individualized intervention plans, and teaching of learning strategies. The paper recommends that a…

This article describes past and present approaches to physical education teacher preparation as practiced in Canada. Also discussed are social influences, the professional curriculum, instructional methodology, and the status of specialization within professional education. (IAH)

Examines issues of culture and identity, Canadian history and identity, and the relevance of these concepts as a curricular theme for early childhood preservice teachers and for young children. Compares the early childhood cultural experiences in Canada, Israel, and Britain. Delineates implications of understanding of the role of Canadian culture…

Teacher education in Canada is an institution largely enshrined in tradition and certain unquestioned assumptions. It is about preparing teachers to work in school situations. Teacher educators must teach education majors a broader vision of these opportunities, and focus on "education" rather than just on classrooms and schools.…

This paper discusses how preservice teacher education programs can be improved to better service teacher candidates. This paper examines a study of teachers from nine Ontario secondary schools regarding the impact of change on their work lives. The study involved 130 survey questionnaires and 45 structured interviews. This paper focuses on…

The problems of integrating theory and practice cannot be understood without reference to the ecology and environment in which teacher education occurs. One factor defining the present character of Canadian teacher education is the fact that, when teachers' colleges moved onto the university campus, they became subject to the university's norms,…