The Role of the Faculty of Education

Teaching is a familiar, common experience prevalent during a large part of everyone's life. Although teaching is familiar, it is also elusive; although it is common, it is also extraordinary; although it is prevalent, it is also esoteric. Teaching is a complex process intertwining many philosophies, approaches, and facets.

It follows from this view of teaching that teachers must be extremely knowledgeable and highly expert in order to make sound decisions. The role of the Faculty of Education, University of Windsor is to present a thorough knowledge base for teaching and to ensure that teachers use this knowledge base appropriately in making complex judgements on behalf of their students. Such judgements must be based upon a knowledge of curriculum and learning theory, human development and cognition, and instructional design, implementation, and evaluation. Most importantly, the prospective teacher must be able to connect this knowledge to the understandings, dispositions, and conceptions that individual students bring with them to the classroom. The task of teaching is less a matter of "covering the material" than of connecting with the student in whatever ways are necessary to make knowledge the possession of the learner.

Teaching is not routine. It is a complex human phenomenon presenting a major challenge to its practitioners

Arguments about the purpose of education in society, how to teach, what to teach, and when to teach it, and the interactive relationship between the teacher and the learner have long been subjects for study and debate. Consequently, the ideal way of preparing teachers has been an elusive goal, and it would seem that there are as many notions and opinions as there are people to express them. The debates continue. The Faculty of Education, however, although acknowledging the importance of the continual critical examination of the processes of education in all its aspects, has carefully and thoughtfully selected courses and learning experiences to prepare students to begin the practice of teaching and to become knowledgeable about educational problems and issues.

Back to Pre-Service Consecutive Program Page

Back to Faculty of Education Home Page