Teacher Education in Career and Technical Education: Background and Policy Implications for the New Millennium

Producing high quality career and technical education (CTE) teachers knowledgeable about content and pedagogy is a way that states can equip students with high levels of technical and academic skills. This can help states and the nation have a higher quality workforce and become more economically competitive. CTE teacher education does not operate in a vacuum. All factors that have impacted CTE have roots in our society and economy and have affected the student, school, and community career development, higher academic achievement, assessment and accountability, diverse clientele, and technology. These four major areas affect CTE teacher education: approaches to teaching and learning; infrastructure; teacher licensure and standards; and innovative programs. Other areas of concern are accountability and assessment and teacher supply and demand. Sears and Hersh (1998) have reported a framework that suggests these components when designing effective teacher education programs: goals, curriculum, instructional strategies, contexts, learners, staff, themes, ethos, partnerships, regulations, and location. (A hypothetical university is used to present a scenario for CTE teacher education using this framework. Policy actions are identified for the federal, state, and local levels, and by business and industry, to improve the quality of CTE teacher education. Ninety-one references are listed.) (YLB)