Routes for initial teacher preparation: A critique of research findings

The debate over whether undergraduate or postgraduate programmes are the most suitable routes for teacher preparation has been going on for more than a decade. A review of the literature indicates that most of the arguments for and against either programme are rational assertions or assumptions based on the beliefs of educators. Some researchers have conducted empirical studies to support their arguments, many in the form of attitude surveys of stakeholders. Analysis of these studies leads the authors to conclude that the concurrent running of both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes will continue without the exclusion of either in future initial teacher preparation. The number of places allocated to undergraduate and postgraduate teacher preparation programmes are context dependent rather than based on theoretical assertions. Copyright © 2002 College of Teachers.