1. Making Sense of Reading Teacher Education Research and Prospects for Future Research Victoria J. Risko IRA President Professor Emerita, Vanderbilt University

2. Presentation Overview Background of the studies Findings focusing on beliefs, knowledge, and pedagogy Patterns across studies Conclusions and recommendations

3. References Clift, R. T., & Brady, P. (2005). Research on methods courses and field experiences. In M. Cochran-Smith & K. Zeichner (Eds.). Studying teacher education: The report of the AERA panel on research and teacher education. (pp. 309-424). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Cochran-Smith, M., & Zeichner, K. (Eds.). (2005). Studying teacher education: The report of the AERA panel on research and teacher education. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Hathaway, J. I., & Risko, V. J. (in press). On becoming teachers: Knowing and believing. In K. Hall, T. Cremin, B. Comber, & L. Moll (Eds.), International handbook of research on childrens literacy, learning, and culture. West Sussex, England: Wiley-Blackwell. Risko, V. J. (Fall, 2006). Facing teacher education challenges as an insider. Journal of Reading Education, 2-18.

4. References Risko, V. J. (2009). Reading teacher education: Building an evidence base. Journal of Reading Education, 35(1), 5-11. Risko, V.J., Roller, C., Cummins, C., Bean, R., Block, C. C., Anders, P., &Flood, J. (2008). A critical analysis of the research on reading teacher education. Reading Research Quarterly, 43 (3), 252-288. Wideen, M., Mayer-Smith, J., & Moon, B. (1998). A critical analysis of the research on learning to teach: Making the case for an ecological perspective on inquiry. Review of Educational Research, 68(2), 130-178. Wold, L., Young, J., & Risko, V. J. (2011). Qualities of influential literacy teacher educators, Reading Research and Instruction, 50,150-172.

5. Background Global interest in teacher education research & policy In U.S., requirement for highly qualified teachers in every classroom Common goal - How to improve teacher preparation to enable quality education in multicultural, multi-linguistic, urban, rural, & diverse settings

6. Synthesis and Analysis of Empirical Research, 1990-2011 Typically, have not produced robust, multi- site data trails Yet value in small localized studies, when careful analysis of situated information (Zeichner, 1999). Convergence across studies provides a rich set of budding indicators of impact.

7. What we Learn about Teacher Learning from Teacher Education Research? Teachers beliefs are disrupted and new beliefs are adopted Teachers acquire substantial content and pedagogical knowledge Students performance in local contexts are affected positively

8. What we Learn about Teacher Education from Teacher Education Research? Teacher education Requires a long term commitment Is intensive, requiring prolonged engagement Requires multiple educative events and settings Requires explicit teaching and guidance

9. Three Areas Beliefs Knowledge Pedagogy

10. Much to be Learned about Beliefs Why beliefs matter Uncovering personal beliefs is difficult Identifying beliefs as self, ones identity Replacing beliefs, through indoctrination, is inadequate (Hathaway, 2009) Effectiveness requires approaching beliefs to reconcile differences, work through dissonance

11. Beliefs Beliefs can be disrupted – when instruction addresses congruence – with instruction that involves teachers in pupil data collection/analysis and/or guided interactive sessions with pupils

12. Findings Beliefs changed in positive direction – when strategies viewed as useful for personal learning – when constructing interpretations of pupil data and/or observing positive responses to instruction – when deriving cross-cultural connections

13. Findings Mixed findings – when course content was distanced away from application and personal or disciplinary connections

14. Knowledge Two primary areas of research Learning content and methods of teaching Pedagogical analytical and reflective reasoning

15. Findings Knowledge gains in course content when viewed as relevant and contextually appropriate Knowledge gains in pedagogical content and reasoning – with procedural knowledge – with guidance and explicit referents supplied Less progress with – causal reasoning – abstract information – higher level reflective thinking

16. Pedagogy Issue of application of beliefs and knowledge

17. Findings Under certain conditions (contextual coherence, guided applications) Learning and beliefs changed when applied to teaching or when collecting/analyzing pupil data Knowledge and beliefs most strongly affected within methods courses

18. Findings Stronger impact within learning and doing approaches to teacher education Several tools appear to be useful – Pupil assessment tools – Examining personal uses of reading strategies – Writing narratives about personal literacies – Writing pupils family histories – Peer collaboration and coaching – Teacher inquiry projects – Video/interactive case studies

19. Across Studies: Pedagogical Knowledge Building and Explicitness Apprenticeship and guided learning – Learning by doing is consistently associated with impact – Strong correlation between explicit teaching in methods course and applications to pedagogy – Explicitness involves developing shared knowledge of examples, demonstrations and thinking aloud, practice with peers and with students associated with (constructive) feedback.

20. Recommendations for Teacher Educators and Policy Leaders Support for prolonged engagement in authentic teaching situations and collaborative discussions Support for sustained preparation across college programs and induction years Support for one-to-one teaching assignments as part of the whole for professional development Support for importance of teacher educator/professional development leaders as mentors with caring and supportive roles (taking the time) as related to working through beliefs, teaching in multicultural settings, when lack of congruence

21. Recommendations for Future Research Multi-site research that accounts for multiple layers of instructional events and settings A crucial need for future research in the area of diversity, with – Studies to inform our decisions about teaching diverse students: culture, ethnicity, language, and socio economic diversity – Studies to describe, inform and respond to inequalities

22. Victoria.j.risko@vanderbilt.edu