Challenges surrounding widening participation and fair access to initial teacher education: can it be achieved?

摘要

Access to initial teacher education (ITE) across the United Kingdom continues to be significantly determined by selective entry requirements, based on prior academic qualifications. While a number of alternative routes to teacher education exist, several barriers to participation in higher education, including teacher education, still exist. Within this paper, the concept of fair access and its relevance for teacher education is examined, as well as the extent to which government initiatives, designed to widen participation, are exemplified in ITE selection processes. Quantitative data for the study were obtained from an analysis of application data from those applying for teaching, while qualitative data using semi-structured interviews with all ITE university tutors sought information about the effectiveness of current recruitment and selection arrangements, at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland, for postgraduate ITE programmes. Collectively, the data highlighted the need for more innovative, inclusive selection process if a more representative teaching workforce is to be achieved, capable of meeting the needs of increasingly diverse learners.