Globally, there is a growing focus on school-based teacher education models (Lunenberg et al., 2014). The ‘pendulum swing’ between theory and practice has made schools and teachers far more influential stakeholders in the development of teachers (Murray & Mutton, 2016). In this context, it is crucial to understand the professional learning needs of school-based teacher educators (SBTEs) and the activities they consider effective in meeting those needs. Many SBTEs working in schools engage in activities supporting student teachers and experienced colleagues as a secondary professional role in addition to their primary role as schoolteachers – a role that, understandably perhaps, is more likely to be prioritised in terms of their professional learning opportunities.
A recent study conducted by the International Forum for Teacher Educator Development (InFo-TED) connected to these questions. It examined the professional learning needs of SBTEs, through an international survey, building on earlier work exploring the professional learning needs of higher education-based teacher educators (HBTEs) (Czerniawski et al., 2017).
A total of 1,680 SBTEs from 12 countries (Australia, Austria, Belgium, England, France, Ireland, Israel, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Scotland and the Netherlands) associated with InFo-TED participated in the survey. The participants included teachers who self-identified as SBTEs and teachers who mentor student teachers, interns and early-career teachers, as well as teachers who lead and facilitate their colleagues’ professional learning.
