http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/1185657

Teaching-learning theory and teacher education, 1890 to 1950

"The education of the successive generations of children is basic to the perpetuation and improvement of a social group. In a primitive society the means of this education was relatively simple, much of the responsibility being assumed by the family. As the group became larger and living became more complex, a special educational agency became necessary. Schools were established in the American colonies because the need for their services was recognized. As our civilization developed, the responsibility of the schools increased and the preparation of teachers for our schools became recognized as a matter of social importance. The establishment of state normal schools, beginning in the second quarter of the nineteenth century, was an expression of the thesis that a teacher in an elementary school needed an education somewhat different from that provided by the higher schools of the time. The extension of our common schools to include grades nine to twelve resulted in the application of a corresponding thesis to teachers for secondary schools. Recognition of the thesis that teachers need some special preparation for their work created the complementary problems of what should be the nature of this special preparation and how should it be provided. The story of the evolving solution of these problems is a complex one. It transcends an account of the development of practice in the education of teachers. Educational practice is a means for the realization of certain goals. In teacher education these goals are the qualifications considered necessary or desirable for teachers in our schools. The concept of these qualifications is derived from our understanding of the teacher's function, and so the story includes the evolving concept of the teaching-learning process which has been a major factor in the thinking about desired teacher qualifications. The following chapters are grouped under three general heads: I. Development of teaching-learning theory; II. Evolution of teacher-education purposes; III. Development of practice in teacher education. These captions indicate the central problems considered. In describing the developments in these areas, attention will be given to the "mode of development" as well as the changes that occurred. Thus there will be mention of differences of opinion, controversies, and divergent practices. As a means of contributing to an understanding of the thinking and doing, certain background conditions will be noted"--Introduction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

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