Michigan Community College Teacher Education Program Components

By Mary C. Belknap, Jackson Community College, Jackson, MI

In 2008, a study investigating the descriptive components of teacher education programs at Michigan community colleges who are members of the Michigan Association of Community Colleges in Educator Preparation (MACCEP) was completed. The data provides a model for program development that may benefit all teacher education programs throughout the country.

In this study, commitment, curriculum, and connections emerge as core program components of teacher education programs in Michigan community colleges. To reflect, assess, and create stronger community college teacher education programs with a deeper understanding of potential program characteristics, an understanding of what these core components constitute may be useful to practitioners, administrators, program coordinators, faculty, future teachers, or anyone interested in teacher education program improvement or development.

Each of the six Michigan community college teacher education programs in this study is generally described by a website, brochure, or catalog. However, in order to understand the programs more fully, 12 individuals were interviewed from the six MACCEP Michigan community colleges identified as involved in teacher education programs at their respective institution. An interview protocol based on the Patricia Cunniff conceptual model (2006) is the basis for a starting point for every individual interview question and discussion.

Clarification of the type of teacher education program ranges from informal to formal. Participants see their programs on a continuum from more informal to more formal and describe details about each of the respective programs along this continuum. The continuum refers to program features in regard to curriculum, organization, structure, level of administrative support, extra-curricular activities, advising and support for future teachers.

On the informal end of the spectrum, teacher education programs are defined as a course or a set of courses created to prepare future teachers for a college or university transfer program. The study participants define formal teacher education programs as acknowledged programs or departments by their respective college. The program has an identified department chair, director, or coordinator. This position has release time to provide leadership, curriculum direction, and administrative responsibilities to manage the many components of the program within the college and throughout the community.

What might this research mean in light of teacher education? The community college offers students a teacher education program with distinctive components of early professional preparation that are beneficial and often inconsistently present in the first two years at universities. In addition, field service, additional teacher course work, and professional development are offerings through a community college teacher education program that are affordable, attainable, and easily accessible. The field service component of a program offers area K-12 schools and agencies cost free classroom and special program support.

A Lake Erie administrator states, “That’s really, I think, a strength that we have that you often won’t see in universities is that in that first year already, students are getting out; they’re having an experience that helps them to think about future goals and planning.” Education is about students, offering the best for learning, for today and tomorrow. Michigan community colleges are attempting to offer quality preparation in teacher education. The participants in the study are of the mindset that quality components and experiences in a community college program are necessary for quality teacher education.

Mary Belknap will be presenting at the NACCTEP national conference and sharing additional information on the Michigan Community College Teacher Education Program Components.

References:

Cunniff, P. & Risley, R. (2006) Best Practices in Teacher Preparation Programs: Focus on
Students. Phi Theta Kappa Publication
Townsend, B. K., & Ignash, J.M. (2003). Community College Roles in Teacher
Education : Current approaches and future possibilities. In B.K. Townsend
& J. M. Ignash (eds.). The role of the community college in teacher education. New directions for community colleges. No. 121. San Francisco: Jossey –Bass.