Teacher Education versus Teacher Training: Epistemic Practices and Appropriate Application of both Terminologies

Abstract

In this article, the author presents a practice-based approach, of an analysis of two concepts; teacher education and teacher training, to preparing candidates for quality teaching. The emphasis is on understanding the meaning of the two terms based on what educational thinkers have come to understand and appreciate as the reasoning behind each one of them. Thus, the author delimited himself to what is meant when the two terms are used rather than providing empirical data on the quality of teachers produced as a result of which term is used in teacher preparation. The philosophical stance in this article is that the meaning of these concepts influences the design of learning experiences for prospective teachers, the framing of their curriculum, and the attitudes teacher educators will have in the preparation process. Others may actually be tempted to think anyone can teach since they assume teaching is innate or natural. However, the author explains the necessity and urgency of teacher education and training if quality teachers are to be produced so as to achieve effective curriculum implementation in schools.