Faculty Development: Fostering the Professional Growth of Teacher Education Faculty

Amy Gratch Hoyle

(Education Policy and Leadership Department at Cabrini College, USA)

Abstract: This paper presents findings from a study of faculty development intended to support faculty in graduate teacher education to integrate teaching for social justice into their courses. The paper includes findings from a mixed-methods study of faculty support needs and the impact of a Summer Seminar in Educational Foundations on graduate teacher education faculty teaching educational foundations in a Master of Education program in which most students are practicing K-12 teachers. While not the explicit intention, the seminar described in this paper has become a Community of Practice (CoP) for these faculty members and through this CoP they have experienced support in the development of knowledge, values, beliefs and teaching practices essential their professional development as teacher educators.

Key words: faculty development, community of practice, social justice education