Reforming from “without” by leading from within

Abstract

Teacher education programs are facing a range of external pressures today — from shifts in the educational landscape to an ever-expanding curriculum to meet changing standards. In this article we shared how our process of “reforming from without by leading from within” is the beginning of a culture change. Partnership initiatives, newly involved classroom teachers, school liaisons, training for classroom teachers and university faculty alike, all may make a difference in our culture and our efforts. As teacher educators we must adapt our programs to the changing standards for teachers, accountability measures and student testing, and a diverse population. The ETRA faculty at Northern Illinois University lead from within by seizing opportunities in administrative changes, existing partnerships, funding opportunities, and collaborations. Our goal continues to focus on demonstrating that technology innovation may serve an important role in coping with these external pressures and achieving the changes required.