Developing Knowledge for Preparing Teachers: Redefining the Role of Schools of Education

Abstract

Within the search for a new relevance for higher education, the press to recast the long-standing commitment to knowledge development has provided schools of education with an opportunity to redefine teacher preparation. Knowledge development increasingly involves not only generating but also applying, integrating, and transforming knowledge; is pursued by more and more individuals and organizations outside universities; and has become a framework for both an expanded research agenda and program renewal. This article examines how the reconceptualization of knowledge development has influenced the structures and strategies used by schools of education to help beginning teachers build a knowledgeable start to their careers.