A review of the structure of initial teacher education provision in Ireland. Background paper for the International Review Team

Hyland, Áine

A review of the structure of initial teacher education provision in Ireland. Background paper for the International Review Team

Files

HEA - Teacher Ed - Background paper 22 May 2012.pdf(525.43 KB)

Date

2012-05

Authors

Hyland, Áine

Publisher

Higher Education Authority

Abstract

The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn, by letter dated 20th March 2012, requested the HEA to undertake a review of the structure of initial teacher education (ITE) provision in Ireland. This is a timely exercise. During the past decade there has been unprecedented growth and development of programmes for educating teachers at all levels – from early childhood to higher education1. There are currently 19 publicly-funded accredited ITE providers in Ireland providing over 30 programmes for primary and second-level teachers, as well as a number of private non-funded providers. In addition, initial teacher education programmes are available for early childhood teachers; adult and community education teachers and teachers in higher education. And within the past year, the Teaching Council has invited expressions of interest from potential providers of initial teacher education for further education teachers. The growth of teacher education programmes during the past decade has occurred in a piecemeal and un-coordinated manner involving a variety of providers and models of provision, with only limited co-operation or collaboration across the sectors or within the same sector – even among those providers which are in close geographical proximity, or even on the same campus. While exciting and cutting edge research and educational innovation are being undertaken in many teacher education settings, these developments are often neither widely disseminated nor applied in other settings.

Keywords

Initial teacher education (ITE) , Ireland

Citation

Hyland, Á. (2012) A review of the structure of initial teacher education provision in Ireland. Background paper for the International Review Team, pp. 1-40.