The American Educational Research Association (AERA) published a special report
titled Studying Teacher Education: The Report of the AERA Panel on Research and Teacher
Education (Cochran-Smith & Zeichner, 2005). In summary, this report offered an extensive look
at what we know about preparing teachers, what we do not know, and where the areas of
opportunity for future research exist (Cochran-Smith & Zeichner, 2005). One notable area of
research that surfaced as a promising line of study encompassed knowing more about the
demographics (gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and age) of pre-service teachers
and how these variables play a role in the preparation of teachers (Cochran-Smith & Zeichner,
2005). More information is necessary to understand how demographics impact teacher preparation and quality-teaching outcomes (AACTE, 1999). Adult learners are acknowledged as
a population in need of future research, but not in terms of sense making and quality.