Higher Education Capacity Building

PRE-SERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION (PSTE)

As an institution that values teacher education, the Learning Systems Institute (LSI) at Florida State University aims to improve pre-service teacher education (PSTE) programs around the world. Our activities focus on multiple aspects of teacher education, including 1) understanding the context of PSTE within the country and collaborating with local actors to identify opportunities for improvement; 2) providing intensive and continuous professional development and training to teacher educators and key stakeholders who oversee teacher education; 3) supporting those key stakeholders to refine PSTE curricula to reflect evidence-based and inclusive practices; and 4) engaging participants from all levels of the sector to improve the systems of instruction, practice, assessment, and feedback for PSTE programs and student teachers.

LSI builds sustainable programs through the empowerment and support of Ministries of Education and its parastatals to implement meaningful and timely programming. For example, we begin our activities by partnering with the Ministry of Education and relevant stakeholders to conduct a collaborative Baseline Situation Analysis aimed at revealing the strengths of the system, the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of teacher educators and student teachers, and how policies impacting PSTE programs are operationalized. Once these data have been jointly analyzed, we move into providing intensive, continuous training mentorship and coaching to teacher educators and government stakeholders. Systemic and curricular review/updating processes take place only after key stakeholders have been engaged in professional development focused and relevant to the task.

LSI’s approach involves collaborating with policy and key decision-makers to increase the capacity of local organizations as they execute sustainable program changes to improve pre-service teacher education. The evidence generated from LSI work has influenced curriculum reforms and policy actions around the systems for supporting student teachers throughout their program, including changing national frameworks for implementing the Teaching Practice and School Attachment.

PRE-SERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION PROJECTS

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  • Malawi Strengthening Teacher Education and Practice (2022-2027)

    A $15.6 million project sponsored by USAID to improve teacher training in Malawi, the Strengthening Teacher Education and Practice Activity will improve the higher education system that trains primary school teachers in the country, as well as the professional development practices that support teachers through their careers. LSI faculty is working with 22 teacher training institutions across the country to improve teacher education programs and develop new training materials related to literacy and numeracy education. The STEP project is a landmark investment by USAID to support the institutions of higher education that provide preservice teacher education (TTIs).

    STEP Malawi Activity