INTRODUCTION
Initial teacher education programmes face multiple
challenges. Tensions exist in ensuring sufficient
coverage: effective implementation of the curriculum;
subject matter knowledge; pedagogical content
knowledge, multiple strategies to engage the students in
wanting to learn and learning; and, the requirements of
assessment, particularly in senior secondary school.
McGee, Cowie and Cooper (2010) suggest that student
teachers should be engaged in learning experiences that
will get them started in teaching and develop expertise
so that in future they can have a positive influence on
their students’ learning. Critics of teacher education
programmes suggest there is a mismatch between what
the student teachers have learnt and can apply in the
classroom (Cameron, 2007). Conversely, there is
evidence that supports the view that new teachers have
a positive impact on their students’ learning when