Comparison of Scottish and American Teacher Education

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Jan 22, 2003

Comparison of Scottish and American Teacher Education Series Part Three

A sabbatical leave spent partly in Scotland afforded the author the opportunity to examine the teacher efficacy scores of those who are preparing and have prepared in the Scottish system of teacher education with their counterparts in America. The American system of teacher education and the Scottish system share many characteristics of both pre-service and in-service teacher education, and at the same time where there are clearly some distinct differences between the systems of teacher education in the two countries. Thorough explanations and descriptions of the two systems are beyond the scope of this paper. However, a brief comment about each may serve, at least on the surface level, as a brief comparison of the two.

In America the requirements for teacher certification are determined by each state, and the colleges and universities must develop their curricula and related experiences to comply with these regulations. Usually the state department of education (e.g., Maryland) will visit the college or university every five years to observe the program and to make a determination about the accreditation. There are no national requirements for teacher preparation. However, most teacher education programs choose to apply for accreditation from an independent national or regional accrediting agency such as the National Association of State Directors of teacher Education (NASDTE).

Although there are changes in the direction of decentralization looming on the horizon, the Scottish system of teacher preparation is currently very national and centralized when compared with the American system. In fact, the entire system of education in Scotland from primary education through higher education is highly centralized. The Scottish Office Education Department (SOED) "has national oversight of education, advises on national policy and coordinates the activities of education authorities and others. [SOED] issues guidance on such matters as curricula and teaching methods... and together with the General Teaching Council (GTC) oversees teacher training and supply" (The Scottish Office, 1993, p. 6). Education authorities are regional councils who, taking account of national guidance, have responsibility for school curricula. Even so, "in practice, the existence of much national guidance on the content of the curriculum and of the single examining body has led to a broad consensus of what should be taught" (The Scottish Office, 1993, p. 7).

Both systems include a heavy allotment of field experiences and an extended period of student teaching at or near the end of the program. The college and university faculty in both systems serve as supervisors

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