A new reform in teacher education? A historical perspective on recent developments in teacher education in Germany – the case of North Rhine-Westphalia

The relationship between universities, teacher educators and schools, as well as between theory and practical elements, has always been a central concern in teacher training worldwide. In German teacher education the lack of practical classroom experience for students during their studies has been continually criticised. A new reform in North Rhine-Westphalia implemented in 2009 has tried to create a closer link between universities and schools by introducing longer practical elements at university level. These elements are labelled as ‘innovative’ and ‘new’, even though similar reforms were trialled in Lower Saxony 40 years ago. This article discusses the main ideas behind the reforms by taking a historical perspective on teacher education and examining the challenges and opportunities accompanying this development. With the new structure the role of universities, centres for teacher education and schools is profoundly changed, meaning a stronger collaboration and a new range of responsibilities for each of them.