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Improving the preparation of teachers: Educating pre-service teachers for the information millennium
Citation
Chye, S. Y. L., Kong, S. L. & Seng, A. S. H. (2001, December). Improving the preparation of teachers: Educating pre-service teachers for the information millennium. Paper presented at the AARE Conference, Fremantle, Australia.
Abstract
The educational scene is evolving rapidly in response to societal developments over the last decade.
Attempts to confront challenges of the 21st century have meant that ambitious goals are being set
forth in current educational reform efforts. Singapore’s Prime Minister, Mr. Goh Chok Tong,
summed up the nation’s vision for educational reform in these words – "Thinking Schools and
Learning Nation". This vision of schooling however, poses great challenges for teachers and the
schools in which they work. In order to meet these challenges, renewed forms of teacher preparation
are an imperative. The purpose of the present paper is thus to discuss future directions for teacher
education programs in light of current societal demands. A conceptual framework for developing
teachers who are equipped to teach in the schools of tomorrow will be suggested. Particular
emphasis is placed on ways to train pre-service teachers to teach thinking effectively. It is suggested
that self-regulation be employed as a vehicle to support student teacher learning in this area.
Date Issued
December 2001