This document discusses the professional development needs of teacher educators (TEDs) based on research and examples from different countries. It defines TEDs broadly as anyone involved in training teachers. Most TEDs become accidental experts after years of teaching but lack formal qualifications in teacher education. The document examines how various countries have developed professional standards and support for TEDs through communities of practice, mentoring, research expectations and higher degrees. It also notes tensions between research and teaching expectations for TEDs and differences in support between school, college and university settings.

1. Accidental experts: ways of
supporting the professional
development needs of
teacher educators
Dr Rebecca Eliahoo

2. Focus of workshop
European definitions of teacher
educators
Rationale
Theoretical framework and
methodology
Professional development needs of
teacher educators
Global perspectives
Questions

3. Definition of Teacher Educators
“All those who actively facilitate
the (formal) learning of student
teachers and teachers”.
 Report of a Peer Learning Activity meeting, Iceland, 21-24
June 2010,The Profession of Teacher Educator in Europe,
European Commission

4. This includes:
HE academic staff with responsibility for Teacher
Education, research, subject studies, didactics;
Teaching practice supervisors;
Mentors;
Induction tutors;
Networks of induction supporters;
Anyone in charge of teachers’ CPD
Caena, F. (2013) Supporting Teacher Educators for better learning
outcomes. Brussels: European Commission

5. Accidental expertise
 Most TEDs are qualified teachers;
 TEDs in post-compulsory system belong to a de facto
Community of Practice, albeit fluid and opaque;
 Lack of transparency about the recruitment of TEDs;
 No substantive professional standards for TEDs;
 Lack of widely available and specific qualifications for
teacher educators has inhibited their professional
development and status, which seems to be reflected
in attitudes towards ITE as a career.

6. Why might professional standards
be needed for TEDs?
 Professional Standards exist for all UK
teachers and lecturers;
 Although TEDs are crucial to quality of ITE,
they have no specific Professional Standards ;
 Teacher educators are ‘second order’ teachers
(Murray and Male, 2005) because they teach
about teaching and model practice for their
students so that implicit links between theory
and practice are made explicit (Swennen and
van der Klink, 2009).

7.  TEDs should engage in scholarship and research in
order to make teaching a ‘site for inquiry’ (Loughran,
2007, p. 1)
 TEDs should develop a comprehensive understanding
of the educational system as well as achieving a high
level of professional maturity (Smith, 2005, p. 190).
 Teacher educators need to be conscious of their own
skills, knowledge and expertise in teaching as,
Loughran argues, the uncertainties of practice are
sometimes masked by ‘the skilful ways in which teacher
educators respond to the problematic nature of
practice’ (Loughran, 2007, p. 2).
 Research found that professional development models
must be flexible (Eliahoo 2104)
 Government moves away from University-supported
ITE begs question of which TEDs will be involved in the
future; how recruited, supported and qualified?

8. Disparity in training routes
between schools, FE & HE
 In FE, the level of the ITE qualification depends upon the
institution delivering it. Qualifications vary between levels 5 and 6
and 7
 In schools qualifications are post-graduate and subject specific
(Lucas, Nasta, and Rogers 2010).
 Rogers argues (2011) that a two-tier system was put in place in FE,
whereby those with a degree follow the PGCE pathway and those
without follow a Certificate in Education or Diploma in Education
and Training at level 5.
 HE and FE curricular diversity = generic teacher preparation
programmes (except specialist pathways in English, Maths and
Teaching Disabled Learners for FE).

9. Theoretical perspectives
 Lave and Wenger’s model of situated
learning (1991) involving a process of
engaging in a Community of Practice
 Second theory followed Fuller &
Unwin’s (2004) work using an
apprenticeship model to describe
teacher training.
 Continuum of expansive or restrictive
professional development

10. Theoretical perspectives
Eisner’s use (2002) of Greek concepts
episteme and phronesis to explore
the conditions for excellent practice -
leading to ‘artistry’
Further developed by Korthagen and
Kessels (1999) and Loughran (2006)

11. METHODOLOGY
 Mixed methodology
 Ten in-depth interviews with experienced
teacher educators (5 male, 5 female; 5 HEI, 5
FEI)
 These became case studies and some often-
repeated statements were included in an
online survey with a Likert scale
 Online survey
 Focus groups
 Thematic analysis

12. Case study quote
 I started at [college] where I was an ESOL teacher. They
were delivering teacher training programmes and there
was a job vacancy and - surprise, surprise - I got it. I
had no training, no skill, and no knowledge except
my years of teaching which went back to South Africa,
Botswana, secondary school system here and then FE
so [my experience was] wide-ranging, quite deep. I
thought: “I can be a teacher trainer, I’ve taught for so
long that I must be able to do it”. But I didn’t have any
qualification or piece of paper to say I could train
teachers. I thought it was a bit cheeky applying, when I
didn’t have any skills or knowledge on paper. Charlotte

13. The nature of provision which participants believe would have helped
address their needs as beginning teacher educators
Categories of support to help meet
beginning teacher educators’ needs*
Percentage Number
Mentoring 26% 16
Joint observations 18% 11
Resources 13% 8
Teacher education CPD modules 13% 8
Teacher education networks 13% 8
Discussions regarding assessment and
criteria
11% 7
Policy, regulation and context 8% 5
Help with theories of learning 8% 5
Shadowing experienced practitioner 8% 5
Induction programme 3% 2
Needed no help 9% 6
*Participants could choose more than one category of support

14. Changes in teacher educators’ needs over time
Changes in needs over time* Percentage Number
Self-study, reflective practice & CPD 18% 11
Peer mentoring & peer observations 18% 11
Increased confidence 16% 10
Time 13% 8
Help with new ITE 8% 5
Academic needs 6% 4
Admin help 6% 4
IAG needs 4% 3
Networking 4% 3
On-going feedback 4% 3
Technology 6% 4
Dealing w. trainee emotions 1% 1
*Participants could choose more than one change in needs

15. Some examples…
 Dutch Professional :
http://www.lerarenopleider.nl/velon/about-velon/
 US TED standards:
http://www.ate1.org/pubs/uploads/tchredstds0308.pdf
 Harkin’s model of the knowledge, skills and attributes of a
teacher educator Harkin, J. (2008). Independent Summary
Report to QIA of the CETT Professionalising the Workforce
case studies: LSIS.
 Boyd, P., Harris, K., Murray, J. (2011) Becoming a teacher
educator: guidelines for induction, HEA
http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/Public/Education/Documents/Rese
arch/ESCalateDocuments/GuidelinesForInduction2011.pdf

16. Dutch Association of TEDs (DATE)
 Started own project ‘The Professional Quality of Teacher Educators’ in
2007 which asked TEDs to self-assess against Dutch professional
standards (DATE, 2011) and undertake appropriate professional
development, after which they were registered as certified TEDs
(Koster and Dengerink, 2008; Koster et al., 2008).
 Subsequently, Bob Koster, Jurrien Dengerink, Fred Korthagen and
Mieke Lunenberg (2008) examined 25 completed portfolios made by
TEDs who had taken part in the standards-based procedure of self-
assessment and professional development.
 They found that TEDs preferred developing their knowledge and skills,
rather than changing their attitudes and beliefs. They experimented
with new classroom activities; and interacted more with colleagues.

17. Flemish Association of TEDs (VELOV)
 In Belgium, VELOV felt that ‘professional standards’ were too static
and didn’t match their desire to support the professional development
of TEDs. They adopted a ‘professional profile’ to be used as a process
of self-improvement.
 Based on US and Dutch professional standards, the professional
profile lists characteristics of TEDs, such as:
 Mastery of teaching skills;
 Awareness of the choices they and other teachers make and the rationale
for these;
 Technical repertoire to help them come up with alternative ways of
approaching situations;
 Broad background knowledge e.g. pedagogy and supervision;
 Proficiency in oral and written communication;
 Congruence: the ability to model good practice;
 Helicopter perspective: the ability to think critically about education.

18. University of Nevada, USA
 Seven TEDs used self-study methodology to
explore their dispositions towards students.
 Audio-recorded and shared informal monthly
group meetings over 2-year period, focussing on
their teaching and students.
 Pennington et al highlighted:
1. Importance of positive professional dispositions in
teaching (e.g. desire for social justice); and
2. Lack of knowledge about the dispositions of TEDs
themselves. Their analysis was intended as a call to
examine teacher educator dispositions (Pennington et
al., 2012).

19. MOFET Institute, Israel
 The MOFET Institute is a national in-service teacher education centre
in Israel which also prepares new TEDs. Based on her work at MOFET,
Kari Smith identified practical suggestions for the development of
TEDs through:
 Higher degrees
 In-service workshops and seminars
 Staff development
 Feedback on teaching
 Voluntary and formal support
 Peer tutoring (Smith, 2003, p. 205):
 She recommended that TEDs attend international seminars and
conferences so that they can present and receive feedback on
research; & invest in professional relationships beyond their own
institutional and national borders.

20. Transition is complex and messy: USA
 Todd Dinkelman drew on his experience as a University TED to
examine professional identity and how it was influenced by
external factors and internal self-rationalisation. Combining
self-study and case studies, Todd Dinkelman asked: ‘what
happens as teachers make the transition from classroom
teacher to University-based teacher education?’
(Dinkelman, Margolis and Sikkenga, 2006a p.6; Dinkelman,
Margolis and Sikkenga, 2006b).
 The most striking examples they identified together were:
a. the difference in time for reflection/scholarship in HE vs schools;
b. ITE is little valued in institutions whose reputations rest on research and
publications;
c. research & practice tensions can be bridged through self-study;
d. TEDs need to do ‘real’ teaching, not just ITE, to maintain credibility.

21. Becoming TEDs in Canada
 In Toronto, Becoming Teacher Educators (BTE) was a 3-year support group
for 12 doctoral students who wanted to become TEDs.
 Research showed that most new TEDs in Canada were not inducted or
supported in any significant way (Kosnick et al., 2011).
 Inspired by the work of Jean Murray in schools ITE, 12 doctoral students,
who wanted to become TEDs, along with two professors, formed the BTE
study group to address the logistics of teacher education & professional
identity issues.
 Produced a strong community with shared leadership; opportunities to
develop knowledge of teacher education; improve research skills and
improve practice; share thoughts and questions; explore their fears, and
deal with challenges and surprises of teacher education (Kosnick et al
2011, p.360).

22. The rocky road in Oz
 Denise Wood and Tracey Borg examined the
transition from teacher to TED in Australia. Self-
study analysed their own experiences to
propose new strategies for their University to
support the transition of new TEDs (2010, p.18).
 Also explored conflicts and tensions
experienced by 4 new TEDs: ‘the rocky road’,
e.g. grappling with changed levels of
autonomy, institutional isolation, new
technologies and the pressure to enter the
research culture (Wood and Borg, 2010, p. 18).

23. Dancing in the ditches, Australia
 ‘Quality Teaching Action Learning’ was professional development
project encouraging collaboration between 3 academics and 35
school teachers in Australia in 2003, in order to improve practice
(Reynolds, Ferguson-Patrick and McCormack, 2013).
 Schools identified areas of need to develop projects to improve the
quality of teaching and learning.
 The collaboration was designed to get everyone out of their comfort
zone and ‘dancing in the ditches’ – an uncomfortable place that often
holds unexpected dangers in Australia.
 What emerged was TEDs’ transformative role & the differences in
perception of this role:
 Teachers saw the TEDs’ role as a practical/technical, activity which aimed
to get a specific job done to achieve certain goals.
 The TEDs agreed, but saw themselves in a more mediating role which
centred on being more reflexive than the teachers.

24. Knowledge base for teacher
educators
 http://www.lerarenopleider.nl/velon/knowledge-base-for-
teacher-educators/
 The aim is to offer an informative and inspiring learning
environment for teacher educators and to support the further
development of the TED profession.
 Development group involved over 60 Dutch school and institute
based teacher educators, researchers, professors and policy makers
involved in teacher education.
 They provided lit reviews, examples of good practice, suggestions
for reflection and for further reading. Colleagues from Australia,
New-Zealand, the UK and the USA have contributed to the
embedding of this knowledge base in the international debate on
the TED profession.

26. Questions Group A:
 How feasible would it be for TEDs to work
collaboratively on devising their own
professional standards?
 Who might be involved?
 How could policy and institutional support for
TED scholarship and research be obtained as
part of their professional development needs?
 In each case, what might the next steps be?

27. Questions Group B
 How to obtain institutional and/or employer support for
flexible models of professional development for TEDs?
 How feasible is it to require employers of new TEDs to
support formal induction and mentoring?
 To what extent might there be differences in support for
teacher educators within Universities, Colleges, Schools
and private providers?
 Is there the motivation for English TEDs to take control of
their own professional standards, in similar ways to Dutch
and North American TEDs?
 What might the next steps be?

28. Questions Group C
 Higher degrees were seen as worthy of
academic kudos, achievement and professional
recognition in general, but should not be made
a requirement for teacher educators. What are
your views?
 To what extent would contextual restrictions,
such as lack of time and funding, prevent
English TEDs from developing their own
professional standards?
 Would TED professional standards represent a
double-edged sword, in cultures of
performativity?
 What might the next steps be?

29. References
 Caena, F. (2013) Supporting Teacher Educators for better learning
outcomes. Brussels: European Commission
 Eisner, E. W. (2002) 'From episteme to phronesis to artistry in the
study and improvement of teaching', Teaching and Teacher
Education, Vol. 18, pp. 5-385.
 Eliahoo, R. (2014) The Accidental Experts: a study of FE teacher
educators, their professional development needs and ways of
supporting these, UCL/Institute of Education
 Fuller, A. and Unwin, L. (2004) 'Expansive Learning Environments:
Integrating Personal and Organisational Development', In
Routledge (Ed.), Workplace Learning in Context (pp. 126-144).
London: Routledge.
 Fuller, A. and Unwin, L. (2010) 'Learning as Apprentices in the
Contemporary UK Workplace: creating and managing expansive
and restrictive participation', Journal of Education and Work Vol.
4, pp. 407-426.

30. References
 Hodkinson, P., Biesta, G. and James, D. (2008) 'Understanding Learning
Culturally: Overcoming the dualism between social and individual views of
learning', Vocations and Learning, Vol. 1, pp. 27-47.
 Korthagen, F. and Kessels, J. (1999) 'Linking Theory and Practice: Changing
the pedagogy of Teacher Education', Educational Researcher, Vol. 28 No. 4,
pp. 4-17.
 Lave, J. and Wenger, E. (1991) Situated Learning – Legitimate Peripheral
Participation: Cambridge University Press.
 Loughran, J. (2006) Developing a Pedagogy of Teacher Education:
Understanding teaching and learning about teaching, London: Routledge.

31. References
 Loughran, J. (2007). 'Enacting a pedagogy of teacher
education'. In T. Russell and J. Loughran (Eds), Enacting a
Pedagogy of Teacher Education (pp. 1-15). Abingdon:
Routledge.
 Murray, J. and Male, T. (2005). 'Becoming a teacher educator:
evidence from the field'. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21,
5-142.
 Smith, K. (2005). 'Teacher educators expertise: what do novice
teachers and teacher educators say?'. Teaching and Teacher
Education, 21 (2), 177-192.
 Swennen, A. and van der Klink, M. (2009). 'Introduction and
Overview'. In A. Swennen and M. van der Klink (Eds),
Becoming a Teacher Educator (pp. 1-7): Springer.