A Study Of Teacher Education Reform In Germany Under The Bologna Process

Teacher education in Germany is traditionally controlled by the state with the characteristics of two-phases training mode and two state examinations. Due to the prevailing requirement to enhance educational quality in Germany, the quality of teacher education has become the major concern, brings about the current reform programs. Under the requirements and background of Bologna Process, Germany has taken a series of reforms. The major reform is in degree system. The introduction of Bachelor and Master degree system causes a series of teacher education reforms in management, curriculum, exercitation and so on. The states of Germany have different responses to the Bologna process. Some states act actively and take complete reforms; while some allow a few universities to take reforms as a pilot; some refuse the reform. This paper aimed at sorting out the main measures of teacher education in Germany, then comparing the different implementation modes of different states and universities.The paper consists of six parts. In the first part, it puts forward the topic of study, makes a brief analysis of relevant literature in home and abroad, explains relevant concepts, presents the study methods and study significance.The second part sorts out the history of German teacher education, shows the current system of teacher education, then puts forward the problems of the current system. The special teacher education system was built under three steps. From 19th century to early 20th century, teacher education in Germany had come through the germination of teacher education system; from early 20th century to 1960's, it experienced great development, from 1960's to 1980's, it went through the integration reform. The main characteristics of the current teacher education system in Germany are the two-phases training mode and two state examinations. However, the degree system, examination system, curriculum setting, management, quality assurance and the duration of the current teacher education system have some problems. The third partintroduces the Bologna Process and its requirements to teacher education. The main object of Bologna Process is to build up a European Higher Education Area on the basis of international cooperation and academic exchange, and then increase the attraction of European higher education. The core of the reform is to establish a three-cycled degree system(Bachelor-Master-Doctor) and credit system in European higher education, set up and enhance quality assurance system, implement a easy-compared, efficient and equal qualifications framework on the level of university, nation and the continent.The fourth part recounts German teacher education reform measures in degree system, credit system, examination system, curriculum, management, quality control and so on. The core of the reform are the degree system, quality assurance system and the curriculum. The degree system reform aims at innovating the traditional Master-Doctor degree system, adding the degree of Bachelor. The main measure of quality assurance system is to build up the accreditation mechanism and improve the accreditation process of teacher education. The aim of curriculum reform is to carry out curriculum modularization and establish core curriculum, and the emphasize on the cohesion and assignment of Bachelor and Master curriculum. It is noteworthy that examination system, practice system, management of teacher education are not the keystone of Bologna Process, but some of these problems are inherent in German teacher education, some are caused by the degree system reform, which are necessary to analyse.In the fifth part, it uses the sample of Erfurt University and Friedrich-Schiller-Universitat Jena, compares the similarity and disputed points in teacher education reform.The last part considers the questions such as decentralization of teacher education and the relationship of globalization and localization of education reform, finally puts forward some suggestion to the teacher education reform in China, such as opening the teacher education system, carrying out teacher education curriculum reform, complete exercitation etc.