Balancing Academic Duty With Academic Freedom: Achieving Program Coherence Through Clear Vision

• In Event: Reflection and Redesign in Teacher Preparation Programs

Abstract

This documentary account tells the story of how faculty in one midwest university redesigned their traditional teacher preparation program to be more clinically-rich; focused on equity and social justice; and coherent across semesters. Specifically, this account explores the bumpy process faculty faced as they drafted and debated a clear vision, curriculum, and structure for this new program. Looking back on the four year redesign process, these challenges or speed bumps helped faculty achieve a sense of shared responsibility to one another and to the program; a responsibility that aligns with professional conceptions of academic duty and supports programmatic coherence.

Authors

• Cynthia L. Carver, Oakland University

• Danielle T Ligocki, Oakland University

• Catherine Wigent, Oakland University