What We Know and Need to Know About Teacher Education and Special Education

Abstract

Researchers have conducted two prior longitudinal retrospective syntheses of the journal Teacher Education and Special Education. The present authors’ approach is different; they analyze only the content published during their tenure as editors. They define big ideas that they believe are representative of what they published. They found that federal initiatives and personnel preparation (32%) and teacher beliefs and practices (24%) accounted for 56% of the articles published, followed by the other category (11%) and program descriptions and evaluations; recruitment, retention and attrition; collaboration; and technology applications (each less than 10%). They also find that quantitative research approaches (55%), qualitative designs (14%), and mixed-method (11%) designs are represented in the published articles. The authors reflect on these outcomes and offer a perspective on teacher education and special education.