Newswise — Marilyn Cochran-Smith, President of the American Educational Research Association, examines new dimensions of teacher preparation and their impact on education in her presidential address to the 2005 Annual Meeting in Montreal.
Highlighting the Association's 86th Annual Meeting, Dr. Cochran-Smith's address identifies three features of teacher education—public policy problems; evidence sought; and pupil learning as an outcome—and discusses the positive effects and downsides of new demands for teacher education.
In the presidential address, Dr. Cochran-Smith offers her read of the current state of the field. Her address, entitled "The New Teacher Education: For Better or For Worse?" includes "emerging trends, aspects newly required by law, and standards that are now consistent across the profession, as well as areas where there is considerable disagreement."
"Teaching, learning, and teacher education are unforgivingly complex," she says. "The education research community must work to get the best out of the new teacher education and avoid the worst."
Dr. Cochran-Smith, who completes her term as AERA President at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting, is the John E. Cawthorne Professor of Teacher Education for Urban Schools at the Lynch School of Education, Boston College. Her research interests include teacher education across the professional lifespan; teaching and issues of race, class, culture, and gender; teacher research/practitioner inquiry; children's early language and literacy learning.
The Awards Presentation and Presidential Address takes place on Wednesday, April 13, at 4:05 p.m. in the Grande Salle de Bal at Le Centre Sheraton Montreal.
AERA represents approximately 22,000 scholars who conduct education research and evaluation. Founded in 1916 and based in Washington, D.C., AERA offers a comprehensive program of publications, training, fellowships, and meetings to advance education research, disseminate knowledge, and improve the capacity of the profession to serve the public good.
RSS