Thomas O'Donoghue – författare

Fifty years ago, in 1967, free education was introduced in Ireland for attendance at second-level schools and great expansion of provision of education at both this and third-level followed. Currently, great interest is developing in this landmark development in Irish history, which was probably the most significant initiative taken in regard to education in Ireland from Independence from Britain in 1922 to the present.This book contributes to the interest generated by this landmark anniversary by tracing the history of teacher preparation in Ireland. It relates to the introduction to the ‘free education’ education scheme introduced in 1967, in that it provides an exposition on the nature of teacher preparation for teaching in primary and second-level schools both before and after the initiative was taken. Thus, it traces the history of teacher preparation through a number of stages; from education for nation-building in the new post-colonial society to partaking in the recent neo-liberal agenda sweeping through education systems throughout the world.This book should be of interest not only to Irish educationists, historians and policy makers, but also to their counterparts internationally, as well as to comparative educationists. It can be seen as providing an exposition which can be used by teacher educators in many parts of the world which they can use to sharpen their perceptions of their own situations through comparison and contrast, provoke ideas for critical discussion, and stimulate them to come to an understanding of the importance of considering contemporary developments within their wider historical contexts.

South Africa's transition to democracy has seen massive changes in the field of teacher education aimed at integrating its previously raced and gendered character. This book provides a comprehensive historical overview and relational understanding of the patterns of teacher preparation supporting South Africa's unequal formal education system. It shows how emerging patterns, policies and pedagogies were deeply entangled with the country's position within a broader international and colonial order as well as with dominant national political and economic social frameworks. Using rich archival and oral evidence, this book illuminates how successive policies restricted and enabled access to different institutions, while differentiated curricula prepared teachers to teach students intended to play different roles in a society marked by class, race and gender division. It explores the location and control of teacher provision for black and white teachers provided by mission societies and the state in colleges and universities. Post-apartheid governments sought to reverse entrenched racial legacies in education through closure of the colleges and incorporation of teacher preparation into universities, altered admission criteria and new curricula. These have resulted in new tensions which have arisen in relation to a world of competing pressures on universities and teachers. By shedding new light on these tensions from a historical perspective, this book will prove an invaluable resource for education leaders and researchers in the field of global and comparative education.

Teacher policy and practice in Australia has evolved substantially from the development of the first colony in 1788 to the present. This book traces the history of teacher preparation through five inter-related phases; the unregulated phase, the apprenticeship phase, the ascendancy of the Teachers Colleges, the ascendancy of the Colleges of Advanced Education, and the university dominated phase from 1989 to the present day.  While the focus is primarily on preparation to teach in primary and secondary schools, this important text also sheds light on teacher preparation for vocational education and at kindergarten level. The rich historical overview explores both the state and private sector together with that of the Christian Churches. Furthermore, research is not merely restricted just to initial teacher preparation; continuing professional development is also considered.With its comparative outlook, this book will prove an invaluable resource for not only Australian educational leaders, historians and policy makers, but also their counterparts internationally. The authors provide an exposition which will be used by teacher educators in many parts of the world to sharpen their perceptions of their own situations through comparison and contrast, to provoke ideas for critical discussion, and to stimulate them to come to an understanding of the importance of considering contemporary developments within their wider historical contexts.

The expectations of the Catholic Church and the demands of the state are a precarious balancing act that have been apparent throughout the history of Catholic education. It is a relationship that is under scrutiny, even in the contemporary context.  Drawing on the works and lives of key figures in the history of teacher preparation in Catholic education internationally, this important text illuminates the contributions they made and the challenges they faced. In providing this rich historical synthesis, the authors invite further reflection on the most appropriate methods of teacher preparation for contemporary Catholic schools and on possible contributions to wider teacher preparation from cogitating the history of the Catholic tradition. This book addresses teacher preparation for Catholic schools at both the 'pre-service' and 'in-service' levels by looking at the Church and its relationship with the state. The former will allow opportunities for a deep study of the role of 'faith' in Teacher Preparation, while the latter focuses on how a distinctive faith-based model of education can be in dialogue with the expectations of civil society. By using this multi-layered framework, the book offers exciting and innovative opportunities to inform contemporary practice from international examples, proving an invaluable text for researchers in the fields of comparative education, theology and the sociology of religion.

This book explores the current status of primary schools in Rwanda and the history behind their development. It argues that current primary school leaders in the area encounter a wide range of problems relating to conflict prevention, teachers' and school leaders' professionalism, financial and resourcing constraints, student attrition, and parental disengagement, many of which can be attributed to the legacies of war and the genocide in 1994. The book also presents a range of strategies that are pursued by school leaders while dealing with these concerns, as the Rwandan government invests in reconstructing education following the country's turmoil. Through examining the issues of the past and the present, the book provides valuable insights for researchers of educational leadership, school leaders, education policy makers, and those in charge of preparing, developing, and implementing professional development programmes for school leaders and teachers in Rwanda, as well as in other post-war and developing countries.