Professional Development Schools: Practices, Problems, and Responsibilities

Abstract

The new concept of collaboration as a strategy for strengthening the linkage between theory and practice in teacher education programs is one of the cornerstones of the Professional Development School (PDS) model. This article presents a critical analysis of collaborative partnerships between teacher educators and K-12 practitioners involved in establishing PDSs, using institutional experiences at the University of Louisville as well as a review of selected teacher education programs elsewhere that have attempted to or are in the process of creating PDSs. It poses some critical questions for further research and evaluation.