Latent Structure of the Curriculum for Primary Teacher Education in Serbia

This paper attempts to determine the latent structure of the curriculum for primary school teacher education in the first cycle of studies at Serbian teacher training and education faculties. By applying the factor analysis into the first level of teacher education, four latent dimensions could be identified that could be nominated as General Education, Basic Education, Methodological Education, Specific Education, and one bipolar factor. The results indicate that learning outcomes and competences in certain fields of instruction should be re-examined and re-directed in line with the experience of the EU countries in order to harmonize and modernize the curriculum for primary teacher education in Serbia.

REFERENCES:

• ATEE (2006). The quality of teachers. Recommendations on the development of indicators to identify teacher quality. Brussels, ATEE.
• Council and the European Parliament. (2006). Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council on key competences for lifelong learning (2006/962/EC), Official Journal of the European Union.
• European Commission. (2007a). Schools for the 21st century. (Commission Staff Working Paper). Brussels: European Commission.
• European Commission. (2007b).Improving the Quality of Teacher Education. Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament. Brussels: European Commission.
• Eurydice (2002).Initial training and transition to working life. Volume 1, The teaching profession in Europe: Profile, trends and concerns. General lower secondary education. Brussels: Eurydice.
• Maandag, D.W., Deinum, J.F., Hofman, A.W.H., Buitink, J. (2007). Teacher education in schools: an international comparison. European Journal of Teacher Education 30(2), 151–173.
• McLean, M. (1995). The European Union and the Curriculum. Oxford Studies in Comparative Education 5(2), 29–46.
• Rodić, N. (2002a). Correlation between selection and classification of candidates for undergraduate studies and their achievements at the teachers’ training faculty in Sombor. Journal of Education 51(1–2), 124–140.
• Rodić, N. (2002b). Methodic and/or methodic of primary, elementary, teaching. Pedagogy 40(1–2), 105–110.