1. Teacher educators in Iceland personal view
Anna Kristín Sigurðardóttir

2. Teacher education in Iceland – after 2011
School level
Official requirement
Pre school (1 – 5 years old)
Master degree (300 ECTS)
150 ECTS in pedagogy
90 ECTS in pre school subject
Five years university based programme within faculty of TE
Primary and lower secondary (6-15 years old)
120 ECTS in Pedagogy
120 ECTS in subject
Five years university based programme within faculty of TE. Student can choose to take part of their study in different faculty.
Secondary schools (16 – 20 years old)
60 ECTS in education / didactics
180 ECTS in subject (of which 60 ECTS at masters level)
Five years university programme, one year within faculty of TE, three to four year within faculty of the subject.
Teachers in vocational education
60 ECTS diploma in education in addition with qualification in their trade + 3 – 6 months additional study in secondary schools.
One year TE programme at bachelor level in university, 3 – 4 years in secondary schools.

3. Who are the teacher educators?
TE programme
Not defined as a TE programme
Members of faculties of teacher education
Qualified as a university teacher in pedagogy or subject
Members of other university faculties
Qualified as a university teacher in subject
School based teachers
Qualified as a teacher at particular level and recognised as a progressive teacher.
Trainers in vocational education
Qualified as a university teacher in pedagogy (or subject).
Qualified as a member of the trade (i.e. hairdressing, building construction and electrician) and certified for training students in the trade.

4. Faculty of teacher education in University of Iceland
Teachers’ specialisation / background N %
Pedagogy (general) at pre school level 6 7%
Pedagogy (general) at elementary and secondary level 19
21%
Subject oriented didactic (pedagogy) 22
24%
Subject 33
37%
Psychology / speech therapy
Sociology / pedagogical science 4 4%
total 90
Part time teachers
Note: the specialisation is not always so clear.
Teachers in other faculties teach in TE programme (not included here).

5. How did they became teachers educators?
School teachers part time teachers in TE M.Ed / PhD full time teacher educators.
University degree (MA/ MS / PhD) in subject, psychology, sociology educational research (or not) full time teacher educators.
More important:
Do they see themselves as teaches educators?

6. Official requirement: master / PhD degree in the field, capable of doing independent research For academic progress: Evaluated by a committee for lector – associate professor – or a professor, mainly based on publications. Three main roles: Teaching (48%) – research (40%) – administration (12%)

7. My personal story an example
Before entering university:
Classroom teacher
Educational consultant in spec.ed.
Head of primary and lower secondary schools in Reykjavík (adminastrative role in school development, curriculum development)
Education: B.Ed / BA in spec.ed./ M.Ed in spec. ed (classroom management), PhD (educational management / school development)

8. After entering university
Recruited as an academic leader (2007) based on IUE rules – and elected as a head of faculty Not appropriate according to new rules.
Applied for a teaching position and appointed as a lector (2010) - start from the beginning!
How do I learn to be a teacher educator?

9. Some key competences and professional development personal view
TE involved in professional identity
Teaching skills – role model
Able to discuss educational issues with students, colleagues, teachers, stakeholders, educational authorities.
Capable of and interested in conducting educational research.
Professional development:
Through educational research and collaborative, developmental projects with schools.

10. Some dilemmas Does teacher educator exists as a profession?
Who have or should have a leading role in the development of TE programme?
Is there a place for practicing school teachers in TE?
Is english or history as a teaching subject different from english or history as an academic field?
What are educational research?
What are teachers educators accountable for?