A Study On The Systems And Mechanisms Of School-University Partnership In American Teacher Education

Since1980s, School-University Partnership has become a popular paradigm of teachereducation reform in the world. Although the specific names are different, but the concept ofcollaboration is in agreement, now this pattern has been everywhere in the world. Like anyother education reform measures, how to promote the expected results of the reform intopractice is the key problem which can not be evaded. Professional DevelopmentSchools(PDS)，as one innovative model of the school-university partnership to reform teachereducation, also face this key problem. To this dissertation, there are two indicators which canbe used to assess the efficiency of PDS, the first one is whether the expected goals have beenachieved, whether the preset functions have been played, the second one is whether thecollaborative relationship is sustainable. At the same time, School-University Partnership is akind of interorganizational relationship, the setting of collaborative organization systems andthe establishment of the operation mechanisms are usually the key factors which may restraintthe functions play. Based on all this, the research problem of this dissertation is what kind ofsystems and mechanisms are used by PDS to promote the efficiency and sustainability of thepartnership. In order to make the problem more clear, it was divided into three researchquestions. First, what kinds of experience and lessons can be learned from the earlyprehistoric exploration for PDS to the systems and mechanisms design. What is the idealdesign of the PDS systems and mechanisms by the professional organizations, what kind ofContinuity and discontinuity has been appeared during the past thirty years research andexploration？The last one is, Seeing from practice, what kinds of systems and mechanismsare used by the excellent PDS to promote the collaboration efficiency and sustainability?When it comes to the research method, the dissertation belongs to Literature research.Reasons for choose this kind of method are as following: Firstly, the history review andexamination need numerous historical materials. Secondly, the ideal design of the PDSsystems and mechanisms depend on the reports which the representive professionalorganizations has published. Thirdly. the material which reflect the conditions of practicingsystems and mechanism are also required. So Literature research method is fit for this study.This thesis includes the following components:The Introduction of the thesis includes problem presentation, literature review, studydesign, the values and innovations of the study and definition of some concepts.ChapterⅠexamines the prehistoric exploration of School-University Partnership inteacher education. Part One demonstrates the development process, the models and functionsof Lab Schools, While Part Two focus on the portal school which was born in1960s. Throughthe analysis, we concluded the valid systems and mechanism which promote the effectivenessand sustainability of the partnership. Also, we obtained the lessons of the invalid systems andmechanisms which must be avoid.Chapter II reviews the development process of School-University Partnership whichemerged in the1980s.First of all, the social background and the theory foundation are examined. Then the different models of the Partnerships are divided from three dimensions,PDS belongs to the most advanced and widest used model. The last part of this chapterretrospects the three development stages of PDS, Which is divided by the different systemsand mechanisms the professional organizations designed.Chapter Ⅲ, IV and V are see from the practical perspective. Chapter Ⅲ answers twomain questions, the first one is the general picture of the PDS in the US; the second one is tofocus on the primary functions of the US and whether the functions have been realized. Thesecond question is so important, because if the PDS have not achieve the preset goals, then itis impossible to seek the efficient systems and mechanisms through the analysis of excellentPDS, there is not any excellent one at all.Chapter IV and V analyses the systems and mechanism of the excellent PDS from thewhole perspective and the individual perspective. Chapter IV chooses the research objectivesfirst, then put the effective systems and mechanisms which are used by the excellent PDS intothe according dimensions. Chapter V examines the PDS organization systems andmechanisms from the state level, the Maryland is the example.The last Part of the thesis is the conclusion. From this study, we conclude that theobvious character of the PDS systems and mechanisms are the mutiple level quality andsystematicness. Mutiple level quality means from the national level to the state level then tothe university and school district level,different kinds of mechanisms and systems aredesigned to promote the development of PDS. The systematicness means in every individualPDS, the collaborative relationship, the structure/role and resoures are institinalised, and thelearning community is created. The communicative ways are perfect and the assess systemsand accountability procedures are clear.