Teacher Education in Northern Ireland: Policy Variations Since Devolution

Change has become a common theme in education across the United Kingdom, impacting on many different aspects of the system, including teacher education. In Northern Ireland, teacher education is currently the focus of a major review. The review is exploring the nature of the particular changes and challenges facing teacher education and in addition, considering how it might be best prepared to address these. This paper describes teacher education in Northern Ireland, highlighting its unique characteristics and the particular historical, contextual and structural factors which have influenced its development. The paper also outlines specific developments occurring within the wider education system and considers how these may impact on teacher education. To conclude, the authors reflect on the challenges of effecting change in education within the particular policy context in Northern Ireland, where alternate periods of devolution and direct rule have limited the potential for change.