The hidden intellectual work of teacher educators: preserving signature pedagogies during policy reform

In England, the ITT Market Review required all initial teacher education (ITE) providers to review their programmes against a set of government-mandated criteria for accreditation. This paper explores the hidden intellectual work of teacher educators as they adapt their programmes in the light of this change. Whilst research on the impact of teacher education policy can often frame teacher educators as lacking agency, our contention is that teacher educators are highly adaptive and flexible, making adjustments to their practices as needed. Based on interviews conducted with teacher educators working within 14 research-intensive universities, we capture their thinking, planning and dilemmas, presented as two vignettes. The analysis uses Shulman’s signature pedagogy to understand how teacher educators have placed importance on particular aspects of their programmes while working through the accreditation process. We argue this ‘moment in time’ reveals the often-hidden intellectual work that constitutes planning and designing of teacher education experiences.