Pre-service teachers’ views of their training: Key issues to sustain quality teacher education

Abstract

This paper draws upon data from a broader piece of research aimed at examining pre-service teachersí views of their initial teacher education within the context of a masterísdegree programme in teaching. The data were collected through questionnaires andwritten narratives at the beginning and at the end of the programme. In this paper, thedata arising from 47 narratives at the end of the programme are presented. Five categoriesemerged from the qualitative data: curriculum content, teaching practice, the role ofteacher educators, teaching and learning methods, the organisational aspects and struc-ture of the programme. Although the participants identified positive aspects of the initialteacher education programme, they also stress that there is room for improvement,especially with regard to a greater coherence of the curriculum and a better articulationof its different components. Implications of the findings for enhancing the quality ofinitial teacher education and the role of teachersí educators are discussed.