Better Teachers for Better Schools. The Position and Role of Higher Education in the Training Process

Abstract

The different paces and magnitudes of changes in the preuniversity education system in Romania over the last two decades are reflected also in the area of teacher training. This component had not a smooth evolution and constant preoccupation at the policy level. Very often lagging behind, teacher training was not sufficiently considered as a privileged modality to influence quality of learning. Through an empiric study in which we included more than 850 teachers in preuniversity education, we tried to investigate to what extent they are aware of the last/current changes in the continuing teacher training system, as well as to identify the way in which those changes are influencing their professional performance. Another subject for investigation was the evaluative analysis of teachers perception related to the available training offers and providers, with a special focus on the position and role of the university in the process. Despite some wide-spread prejudices, evidences show that higher education is clearly among favorite training providers for preuniversity teachers, but in the research we operationalized also the concept of the beneficiaries on the structure and delivery of the training, as to meet better their needs and interest. Taking into account the market share of the higher education institutions in the continuing training of preuniversity teachers and the positive perception of customers towards the quality and utility of the training, universities could try to take advantage and make a much focused and strong influence on the quality of inservice teacher training.In the same time, the problem of access and availability of the training courses offered by higher education institutions to the large mass of preuniversity teachers remains an issue, as many of the investigated persons pointed out different obstacles in participating to trainings. Reaching wider audiences and making the most of the perceived positive influence on professional performance are key principles that could stay at the basis of national, but especially institutional policies of universities in the area of inservice training of teachers.