SUBJECT TEACHER EDUCATION AT UNIVERSITY OF BELGRADE - UB Team -

Subject teacher education (STE) at UB - State of the art -  Current organization and curricula – what does it look like?  How teaching practice is organized?  What problems faculties perceive considering teacher education and what they suggest as possible solutions?  What faculties suggest as a best option for subject teacher education?

Faculties that participated in research FACULTIES THAT ORGANIZE STE: Faculty of chemistry, Faculty of physics, Faculty of geography Faculty of philology, Faculty of orthodox theology, Faculty of philosophy (Sociology and Psychology) Faculty of Music Arts and Faculty of Fine Arts and some of their comments will be presented, although they are not the part of BU FACULTIES THAT DO NOT ORGANIZE STE: Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of dental medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy Teachers Training Faculty, Faculty of philosophy (Pedagogy and andragogy), Faculty of security Faculty of Civil Engineering, Faculty of mechanical engineering, Faculty of forestry, Faculty of mining and geology, Technical faculty in Bor, Faculty of technology and metallurgy

Current organization of STE at UB have specific STE program - 3 specific module -1 elective courses - 1 two options: module and elective courses - 2 separate unit for STE- 4 STE is realized by certain teachers - 2 STE on undergraduate level - 1 STE both on undergraduate and master level – 6

Current STE curricula at UB ECTS: – 120 Courses relevant for STE: 4 – 100 (Are they all really relevant?) Educators engaged in STE

What is the current situation regarding school practice in STE? STE at 9 faculties involves school practice. At 4 faculties school practice is organized as separate study subject, which has a specially developed program and a separate teacher. At 5 faculties teaching practice is related to one study subject (mostly didactics of appropriate subject).

How faculties regulate their relationship with schools? 5 faculties sign specific contract with schools 5 faculties have agreement between university teachers and schools’ principal (or school management) 3 faculties have agreement between university teachers and subject teachers in school At 3 faculties students find themselves a place to conduct school practice The number of engaged schools in school practice per faculty is between 2 and 7.

Schools mostly participate in the school practice voluntarily, although, some faculties provide some form of support and assistance to schools. Criteria for school selection: effectiveness of teachers in school (their pupils have good results in competitions, or they the authors of textbooks, curricula, in-service teacher training programs, etc) tradition in cooperation with a certain school working conditions in a school

Roles of school teachers: Facilitate and monitor students’ work during the school practice; also record and analyze performed classes Help students during the lesson planning Help students during the realization of lessons Help students in preparing the evidence about daily work in practice Exchange experience with students.

Good experience: Good preparation of student for work in school Students’ awareness of the importance of lesson planning Arising motivation for work in school School teachers enrich their experience in cooperation with students

Barriers and problems in the organization of school practice: There is no regulation of school practice on educational system level School teachers have extra duties related to work with students (they are overburdened) There is no financial support There are no enough schools for the great number of students-the future subject teachers Schools are not appropriate equipped and teachers' work in them is not adequate Incompatibility of schedules in the school and faculty

STE - challenges and possible solutions Inadequate STE program  Modify curriculum –more STE courses relevant for practice Insufficient teaching staff for STE courses  Educate and employ teachers in the STE field Not all of graduated students had STE courses  Provide opportunity for them to engage in STE FACULTIES THAT ORGANIZE STE

Difficulties in accreditation procedure and employment of new teaching staff  Organize STE “somewhere else” … ? Lack of students’ motivation for becoming teachers…  Ensuring better status of teacher profession  Attainment of teacher competences some other way - through seminars? Or partially completed master? Lack of mutual conception of teacher education and incompatibility between organization of teacher education and labor market legislation  Adjusting different needs considering content and organization of STE and developing action plan for improving STE FACULTIES THAT DO NOT ORGANIZE STE STE - challenges and possible solutions

Solutions for STE from the perspective of: Modify curriculum – more STE courses relevant for practice Educate and employ teachers in the STE field Provide opportunity for graduated students to engage in STE Legislative solutions for students` practice: define number of mandatory hours, criteria for mentors in school, and provide a network of schools for practice Ensure better status of teacher profession Attainment of teacher competences some other way… Organize STE “somewhere else” Adjust different needs considering content and organization of STE and develop action plan for STE improvement FACULTIES THAT ORGANIZE STE… AND ONES THAT DO NOT

What faculties suggest for future STE? STE at their own faculties master program for STE at the University level joint Master program between their own faculty and faculties that are relevant for teacher education At faculties relevant for teacher education