The aim of this ESCalate funded research was to collect some commentary on the 'defining years' suggested here by Le Metais from teacher educators and other education professionals in the UK. The study into Initial Teacher Edcuation (ITE) was conducted itn the first half of 2005 it is cross-national in that it refers to England Wales Scotland and Northern Ireland and intranational in that it invites comparison between the approaches taken in these four nations. There are significant differences in national approaches to the regulation and status of teacher education and this investigation seeks to discuss the effects of these differences.
It is hoped that this report - although necessarily a limited snapshot of thoughts about policy and practice at a particular point in time - will be of interest to those working within Initial Teacher Education in the four nations of the UK. The points of similarity and divergence provide an insight into the constraints and opportunities of policy and practice in 2005/6 that can be both a tool of reflection and a stimulus for dialogue across borders.
