Partnering with Schools Beyond Professional Experience: Building Equity-Centred ITE Programme Alignment and Coherence

Abstract

Uncertainty about teacher education around the world abounds as providers grapple with the challenge of preparing teachers who can foster the learning of increasingly diverse student populations. Hence, the policy focus in New Zealand, as in other nations, is on improving the quality of initial teacher education (ITE) through strengthening professional experience and school–university partnerships. This chapter reports a qualitative study that investigated how engagement in a school–university collaborative research project outside of ITE contributed to a New Zealand equity-centred teacher education programme’s alignment and coherence. We interviewed teachers and teacher educators participating in the research project and teaching on the programme. Directed thematic data analysis identified three major themes—awareness, articulation and action. Using concepts from complexity theory, the study illustrates how building relationships with schools that extend beyond professional experience can occasion the emergence of deeper and shared understandings about practice for equity, reducing uncertainty and contributing to ITE programme alignment and coherence.