The use of educational research within folkeskole teacher preparation

This study is part of an ongoing project about the use of research-derived knowledge in teacher education in Denmark and Finland. This paper engages with the following research question: is research-derived knowledge – as promoted by the ITE institution - an input to initial teacher preparation in Denmark? Since knowledge derives from multiple sources, only some of these have the potential of including a research-based input (Mincu, 2013, 2015). Moreover, research may both inform and emerge from the practice of teachers. One of the major sources of expert knowledge as research derived is ITE. Academic research and on-site collaborative inquiry processes when clearly informed by such research are both relevant. Conversely, merely localised and situated forms of knowledge through teacher reflection from below are not always to be considered as in line with our more restrictive definition. There are two main types of professional knowledge: the declarative and the procedural (Révei & Guerriero, 2017). The declarative knowledge can be seen as the “knowing that” of a profession. Thus, for a teacher is fundamental to acknowledge the main research evidence in the education field. The procedural knowledge is assumed to be the “knowing how”. It is highly relevant that teachers engage with research within their teaching context. Finally, educational research in the initial preparation of teachers is as the major instrument to gain research-literate and research-engaged teachers (BERA, 2014). The focus of this study is on the ITE institutions and their capacity to promote research-derived knowledge to new teachers. The use of educational research in the initial teacher education is analysed in the case of the Danish ITE. In fact, the folkeskole teacher preparation has been strengthened over the recent years by the use of research (Danish Agency for Higher Education, 2015). Thus, the paper aims to explore how future teachers are educated within educational research. For this purpose, we draw upon data gathered from interviews with main actors (student teachers, teacher educators and educational leaders) into two different Danish university colleges. Some preliminary conclusions from this study show a quite large agreement about the importance of using educational research during initial teacher preparation. At the same time, there are many difficulties while considering the area of the procedural knowledge. Thus, the education of the Danish student teachers into research illustrates some complexities.