In an environment increasingly critical of "traditional" teacher preparation programs, a new report by the American Educational Research Association (AERA) calls for more research now into teacher education and its connections to outcomes.
The report, entitled 
Studying Teacher Education: The Report of the AERA Panel on Research and Teacher Education, was co-edited by John E. Cawthorne Professor Marilyn Cochran-Smith. Project manager for the study was Kim Fries, PhD'02, assistant professor of education, University of New Hampshire.
Charged to analyze the scope of available research and recommend a new research agenda for teacher education, the panel found empirical evidence connecting preparation of teachers and successful outcomes, e.g., higher standardized test scores b y students of those teachers, was "relatively small and inconclusive."
"It’s not that researchers haven't done research on teacher education, haven't done good research," said Cochran-Smith in a recent interview. "It's that they haven't asked the outcomes question. And other fields haven't either. Now we are asking it."
At the same time, the panel described some of the difficulties in producing such research. The links between teacher preparation and student learning are many and complex. There may be significant differences between the sites where teacher cand idates do practica and eventually teach in terms of students, resources, culture, etc. There are also time lags between preparation and measurement of results, and many intervening variable.
"In the midst of claims and counter-claims about which teacher preparation programs and routes were truly effective," said Cochran-Smith and co-editor Kenneth M. Zeichner in their preface, "our charge was to try to make sense of what the research did and did not say about teacher education and to craft a new research agenda that might begin to answer some of the most important, but previously unanswered, questions."
"We believe," Cochran-Smith and Zeichner concluded in the preface, "there are few things as important as the quality of the nation's teaching force, which is—to a great extent—entrusted with the future of our democracy ."
Below are topics addressed by the AERA panel, with some examples of what is currently known or available and and what research is needed.
| Topic | Examples of What is Known | Examples of Research Needed | ||
| Teacher Characteristics: Demographics | Predominantly female, White, and monolingual Most prepared in baccalaureate programs at public institutions Average annual turnover is about "30%" |
Comprehensive, up-to-date demographic profile about prospective teachers, current teachers, and reserve pool of teachers Impact of raising entry and certification standards on number of teachers of color Whether and how nonrepresentative profile affects achievement and other pupil outcomes | ||
| Topic | Examples of What is Known | Examples of Research Needed | ||
| Teacher Characteristics: Indicators of Quality | Secondary teachers have SAT scores comparable to all college graduates; scores of elementary teachers are somewhat lower. Those in top SAT/ACT quartile are less likely to take jobs as teachers and, once teaching, are less likely to stay Overall effect of teacher tests has been to restrict diversity of teaching force |
Comprehensive, timely database on quality profile of prospective teachers, current teachers, and reserve pool of teachers How larger social and economic factors, ethos of occupation, and structure of schools shape quality profile of teachers How different quality indicators all contribute relatively | ||
| Topic | Examples of What is Known | Examples of Research Needed | ||
| Effects of Coursework in Arts & Sciences and in Foundations of Education | Very little research on impact of subject-specific study on pupils’ learning except in mathematics Most prospective teachers have a “mechanical” (know the rules, but not the rationale behind them) knowledge of subjects they will teach Scant research on impact of education foundations courses |
Greater agreement on what effects should be studied and how those outcomes can be measured Improvement in data systems More precise, commonly shared vocabulary for describing college coursework | ||
| Topic | Examples of What is Known | Examples of Research Needed | ||
| Methods Courses and Field Experiences | Not easy to move from intention to teach in desirable ways to action Prospective teachers often feel conflict among messages from differing instructors, field-based teacher educators, and school settings |
More research that includes perspectives, questions, and voices of cooperating teachers and prospective teachers Impact of coursework and fieldwork on outcomes beyond beliefs and attitudes, e.g., practices and knowledge growth | ||
| Topic | Examples of What is Known | Examples of Research Needed | ||
| Pedagogical Approaches | Microteaching and computer simulation can help students develop targeted skills Most research on use of case methods focuses on cognitive outcomes, not effect on classroom practice Use of video materials is at least as effective as other approaches in helping candidates learn about instructional methods Little research that examines the impact of practitioner research on practice |
More programmatic research well grounded in theory Better tools for studying outcomes of teacher education | ||
| Topic | Examples of What is Known | Examples of Research Needed | ||
| Preparing Teachers for Diverse Populations | Most teacher candidates have limited experience with those from cultures or areas different from their own Some practices intended to reduce prejudice among teacher candidates have short-term positive impact on attitudes and belief, but no longitudinal studies Little research on the impact of program emphases on diversity |
What particular attributes, prior knowledge, and background experiences increase probability for learning to teach diverse students | ||
| Topic | Examples of What is Known | Examples of Research Needed | ||
| Preparing Teachers to Work with Students with Disabilities | Few studies of pedagogy for preparing teachers to work with students with disabilities General teacher educators, not always prepared for or confident in such roles, deliver special education content |
How well, not only in terms of candidates’ knowledge and skills but also outcome measures, are programs preparing graduates to foster learning for students with disabilities? | ||
| Topic | Examples of What is Known | Examples of Research Needed | ||
| Accountability processes in Teacher Education | Generally, evidence favors certification over noncertification or undercertification, as measured by student achievement. But, given the impassioned debate around accountability, the lack of relevant empirical research is surpr ising and troubling | Research on teacher test content and on concurrent, predictive, and consequential validity of the wide range of teacher tests Research on alternative formats and arrangements Differences between certification and licensure | ||
| Topic | Examples of What is Known | Examples of Research Needed | ||
| Teacher Education Programs | Research does not point to one type of program that is superior to others in terms of pupil and other outcomes. Subject matter specialization of teachers seems to matter in terms of retention. |
Research that describes characteristics teachers bring to programs, opportunities for learning and what teachers learn from them, institutional and state policy contexts, and characteristics of schools where graduates teach |