Towards a Better Future

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Chapter Nine: Initial Teacher Education and Induction for student teachers to experience the general life of the school. A much greater role is envisaged for the teaching professional in student teacher formation: Such models would see greater levels of responsibility devolved to the profession for the provision of structured support for its new members and a gradual increase in classroom responsibility for student teachers. Structured support would include mentoring, supervision and critical analysis of the experience as well as observation, and conversations with, experienced teachers. (Teaching Council, 2011b, p. 16) School placements are to take place in a variety of settings and incorporate a variety of teaching situations and school contexts. While the new model of initial teacher education poses a challenge for principals and classroom teachers to take a more proactive role in the formation of new recruits to the profession, this is also a great opportunity for the profession’s self-development. Practitioners in other established professions such as medicine and law engage in the formation of their future members. Traditionally, in Ireland, the teaching career has enjoyed high social status and public trust. It has attracted a student clientele of very high academic achievement and personal commitment. The entrance to the traditional college courses has been very competitive. The Report of the International Review Panel on the Structure of Initial Teacher Education Provision in Ireland (DES, 2012b) stated, ‘the academic standard of applicants (for teacher education) is among the highest, if not the highest, in the world,’ and considered that it was incumbent that this ‘rich resource should be highly valued … challenged and developed to its full potential’ (International Review Panel, 2012, p. 12) In recent years, a new private provider, Hibernia, has supplemented the traditional providers of teacher education courses. Initially, this agency engaged in teacher education for primary teachers but now also provides it for post-primary teaching. It employs a good deal of its provision online. Its courses are subject to accreditation by the Teaching Council, which requires staff to hold qualification grades higher than course participants. As a private institution, it is not restricted in student intake numbers by the state, as are the traditional institutions. It has also become a pattern that unsuccessful applicants for ITE courses in Ireland tend to go to other jurisdictions, particularly England, for their teacher education. There is some concern that the philosophy and qualitative approach to teacher education abroad may not be in harmony with that being pursued in Ireland. Concern is also being expressed that issues of over-supply of teachers may be diminishing appointment opportunities for graduates from the Irish institutions and may contribute to a dilution of teacher quality. In an over-supply situation, high quality candidates may be deflected from pursuing teaching as a career in favour of one with better career prospects. — 149 —
Towards a Better Future: A Review of the Irish School System As well as the reforms in the duration, content and mode of engagement of ITE courses, the framework for the national provision of teacher education has also come under scrutiny. A significant contextual factor in relation to the future of teacher education institutions is that, as part of government policy for collaboration, co-operation and integration of higher education institutions generally, major structural changes are planned for teacher education institutions. In her Background Paper, prepared for the International Review Panel on Teacher Education in Ireland, (2012), Professor Áine Hyland saw the restructuring ‘as an opportunity to reconfigure the system of initial teacher education in Ireland to ensure the best possible learning experience for student-teachers that will compare favourably with the best in the world’ (Hyland, 2012, p. 23). The Review Panel set out its vision for the future as follows: The Review Panel’s vision for the structure of ITE provision in Ireland is that by 2030 Ireland will have a network of teacher education institutions based on a small number of internationally comparable institutes of teacher education. Each of these institutions will offer research-based teacher education in internationally inspiring environments, provided at Masters level initially or through continuing professional development. Each will also offer further professional development services on the continuum ranging from early childhood to in-service training of teacher and leaders. (DES, 2012b, p. 24) The most significant development of this recommended process to date has been the incorporation of St. Patrick’s College of Education, Church of Ireland College, Mater Dei Institute and the Education Department of DCU into a new Institute of Education within the framework of Dublin City University. This process was underway for four years, with the incorporation concluding in autumn 2016. The Froebel College of Education has already been incorporated within Maynooth University. St. Angela’s College Sligo is incorporated within NUI Galway. Collaboration is being fostered between the Education Departments of UCD, TCD, National College of Art and Marino College of Education. In the mid-west region, links are being established between Mary Immaculate College of Education, University of Limerick, Limerick Technical Institute and St. Patrick’s College Thurles. Time will tell how this planned restructuring of the teacher education institutions will evolve but there is much promise in the potential involved to enhance synergies of expertise, collaboration of effort, the promotion of educational research and improved quality of teacher education for all sectors (DES, 2012b, p. 25). — 150 —
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Towards a Better Future

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