Academic Libraries and Teacher Education Reform: The Education of the Professional Teacher

The reform of teacher education as envisioned by the Carnegie Task Force, Holmes Group, and National Commission reports in their recommendations for the creation of the professional teacher will change the characteristics of those involved in teaching. Academic libraries serving teacher education programs will most strongly feel the effects of the transformation of teacher education from an undergraduate to a graduate program, changes in the content of and balance between the academic and field experience components, and the increased professional autonomy of the teacher. Libraries must prepare to meet the demands of these new education students by providing a collaborative model for integrating information access skills into the curriculum and contributing to the professional autonomy of the teacher through shared expertise in information access, materials evaluation and analysis, and curriculum design. The adoption of a proactive position by academic librarians towards the integration of information access, materials analysis, and instructional design skills in the academic and clinical curriculum, and the willingness to work with faculty in strengthening resources for teacher education and providing a collegial model will encourage the development of the professional teacher. (KM)