Peter Honeth, the special investigator appointed by the Swedish government, is set to present proposals for a reformed teacher education system. The directive states that the investigation should 'suggest how the content of education can be reformed with an increased focus on subject knowledge, cognitive science, and practical methodology.' These elements are considered crucial for future teachers.
Additionally, many other areas of content are vital for professional teachers, which, like the three mentioned in the directive, are already part of teacher education. These include relevant subject knowledge, methodology, practical training, conflict management, classroom leadership, interdisciplinary perspectives on learning, grading, school development work, and an understanding of democratic values.
There is a tendency to confuse cultural behaviors with laws and guidelines. The shortcomings of current teacher education do not automatically stem from a lack of regulations; rather, they arise from the development of local cultures at teacher education institutions where scientific approaches relevant to the teaching profession are not adequately fostered. Time and resources for teaching and research are necessary to create such conditions.
The teaching profession, like many others such as medicine and law, is complex. This complexity is heightened by the various orientations within teacher education. Just as medicine is the field for doctors and law for lawyers, teachers require their own field of science with different specializations. Such a science for teachers, if established with the right conditions, could provide the long-sought research base needed for teacher education. Although teacher colleges became part of the university system in 1977, the scientific foundation for teacher education remains unclear.
As researchers in didactics, we often refer to this science for teachers as didactics, though other terms such as pedagogical work or practical pedagogy are also possible. Regardless of the name, it is essential that this practical-theoretical field for teachers is based on knowledge of and in teaching.
During teacher education, future teachers need to learn not only to act but also to think like a professional teacher. Much of the thinking and acting is common to all teachers, but there are also aspects that are specific to different subjects and educational stages. Teacher professionalism, supported by a science for teachers, can be summarized as practical readiness for action and ethical wisdom.
Methodology relevant to practice is already a central part of didactics, but it is also important to provide teachers with theoretical support for informed judgment in complex teaching choices.
Consequently, the task of teacher science is to support future teachers in making wise considerations regarding why, what, and how to teach specific subject content to contribute to their students' subject knowledge, learning, and education. The foundation for this theoretical support is both scientific knowledge and philosophy/ethics.
In recent years, a research field known as 'Learning Sciences' has emerged, particularly in the United States. This field is not fundamentally based on knowledge from teaching but is built from other disciplines such as neuroscience, psychology, computer science, linguistics, and design studies. While the field captures broad scientific evidence, the connection to proven teaching experience remains unclear. Another issue is the apparent absence of practical philosophy, encompassing ethics, value-based questions, and the purposes and goals of education, which we believe need to permeate teacher education.
We interpret the references to cognitive science in the investigator's directive as being inspired by the Learning Sciences field. The knowledge that this field can provide is relevant for teacher education. However, we consider it a serious problem if cognitive science is intended to replace a practical-theoretical science for teachers with long historical roots.
Future teachers need ample time during their education to discuss issues related to democracy and education in relation to subject content, schools, and teaching. For such seminars to be grounded in scientific principles and proven experience, a science specifically for the teaching profession is needed. The Swedish school system requires knowledgeable and educated teachers who have been trained in a teacher education program based on research relevant to the teaching profession.