Uncovering teacher educators’ dealing with diversity : practices, opportunities, barriers and tensions

Teacher educators are increasingly perceived as crucial players for maintaining the quality of the teacher workforce. As such, the literature on teacher educators’ professional development keeps steadily growing. One area of focus in this specific research field, like educational research in general, are current issues of diversity, inclusion, equity and social justice. Unfortunately, knowledge on the meaning of the contemporary challenge to deal with diversity for the practices of higher education-based teacher educators is scarce in the literature. Scholars however do suggest that, for higher education-based teacher educators in particular, this challenge of dealing with diversity is twofold. It is about (a) examining the learning environments they create themselves; and (b) preparing student teachers to do the same. Others note that specific teacher educator practices to deal with diversity have the potential to address both, since the way teacher educators teach inherently has a modelling and instructive value for student teachers. Furthermore, in a prior systematic literature review, we uncovered five general clusters of practices of teacher educators to deal with diversity These clusters were: (1) creating inclusive learning environments, (2) challenging student teachers’ frames of reference, (3) explicit modelling for diversity, (4) challenging one’s own frame of reference, and (5) raising societal diversity sensitivity. In this paper, we elaborate on these findings and attempt to address the gap in the literature. The aims are: (a) to validate the result of the literature review in the Flemish context of teacher education; and (b) to understand how Flemish teacher educators engage in practices to deal with diversity. Drawing upon the interpretative tradition, a qualitative research design was chosen. In particular, semi-structured interviews were conducted with Flemish teacher educators (n=14). A constant comparative analysis was used to find commonalities and differences in the data, taking into consideration three phases of coding (i.e., open, axial and selective). Quality assurance was provided by the constant reflection of the first author while collecting and coding the data, as well as by the clear documentation and subsequent discussions within the research team about the research process. Preliminary results suggest that all clusters of practices found in our prior systematic literature are present in the Flemish teacher education context. However, not all teacher educators engage in all these practices. The data indicates how institutional and personal factors can affect teacher educator practices to deal with diversity. For example, on the level of the institution, big class sizes and the lack of a common vision in the curriculum on diversity, were for some participants restricting factors to deal with diversity properly. Personal and professional beliefs regarding diversity, role perception of teacher educators, prior professional development and field experience are some factors that affected practices at a personal level. Additionally, the data revealed multiple tensions between teacher educators’ personal and institutional agendas when engaging in practices to deal with diversity (e.g. feeling pressured to work more inclusively, while professional beliefs only partly agree with the desirability of it). Such tensions resonate with other teacher educator research, highlighting the complexity of the profession and the need for appropriate professional development initiatives to foster awareness and provide coping strategies. In conclusion, this paper makes a theoretical contribution to the field of teacher educator research (a) by expanding prior descriptions of teacher educator practices to deal with diversity; (b) by presenting factors that influence the practices teacher educators engage in; and (c) by noting the tensions that arise. Future studies in other teacher education contexts are needed to further validate these theoretical assertions, giving teacher educators and policy makers possible guidance for professional development initiatives.

Publication year:2022

Accessibility:Open