report of a review of teacher education in Scotland
Several universities, including the Open University, have been developing online resources to meet such needs, and further collaborative work should be undertaken to develop and share materials and approaches. Overall, there is considerable scope to expect students to undertake more customised self-study, including using high quality distance and online learning approaches. At present, students tend to have broadly the same set of inputs, irrespective of what they bring to the course. There should continue to be considerable scope for variation in what students learn beyond the identified core. undergraduate provision in initial teacher education The test which is often applied to a newly-qualified teacher is his or her ability to ‘hit the ground running’. Evidence from headteachers and others indicates that BEd graduates often initially have a better practical understanding of the requirements of the job as beginning teachers. However, although many PGDE qualified probationers have a steeper learning curve at the start of the induction year, they often have a strong capacity to learn and develop and the difference in practical teaching skills between the two routes becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish over time. The capacity, attitude and level of application of each individual new teacher become more significant factors. Of greatest long-term importance, however, is the extent to which degree programmes go beyond initial preparation for the classroom and begin to build the capacities, knowledge and attitudes which are required for the extended professional. The BEd degree is generally seen as a good preparation for the classroom and has many supporters and applicants to its programmes. However, its specificity of purpose can lead to an over-emphasis on technical and craft skills at the expense of broader and more academically challenging areas of study.
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