Perspectives from Africa: Comparative Education Relevant Research and Teacher Education

Abstract

The dynamics of teacher education in Africa are complex. To understand their complexities, one has to plow through multiple layers of players that provide funding, policy direction, curricula, teaching methods, and technologies to teacher education systems grounded in divergent philosophies and histories. There is a need to understand how ideas regarding teacher policies and practices are filtered between countries and how those ideas are shaped to fit unique contexts in which they are introduced. Considering the roles played by multinational and bilateral international organizations, national governments, colleges, universities, teacher unions, the private sector, and civil society, it is imperative that data is collected and evaluated to measure impact of reforms and policies that guide teacher training for novices and in-service for professional teachers. As such, the critical role comparative and international teacher education research plays cannot be understated. Comparative and International Education (CIE) relevant research serves to advance understanding of teacher education and professional development by highlighting best practices, issues, inputs, outputs, gaps, and differences, the relationships with student learning outcomes, and standardization and harmonization of teacher education curricula in a very crowded arena. CIE relevant research provides the necessary data for examining policies and initiating reforms that lead to positive student learning outcomes. In addition, the research provides benchmarks in novice teacher training and professional development that contribute to teaching efficacy and teacher effectiveness.

Citation

Niwagaba, L.K.B. and Okurut-Ibore, C.M. (2014), "Perspectives from Africa: Comparative Education Relevant Research and Teacher Education", Annual Review of Comparative and International Education 2014 (International Perspectives on Education and Society, Vol. 25), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 87-92. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-367920140000025008