Teacher education for cultural diversity: Online and at a distance

Abstract

While student populations in English-speaking contexts are becoming more culturally and linguistically diverse, teaching populations remain predominantly monocultural and monolingual. It is therefore critical that initial teacher education programmes effectively prepare prospective teachers for the diversity they will encounter in modern classrooms. Recent initiatives in initial teacher education in New Zealand have seen the development of distance education opportunities for students. New technologies associated with the Internet offer potential for enhanced distance learning experiences. Effective experiences during initial teacher education are important in developing teachers who have the attitudes and skills to meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse children. This paper explores the extent to which effective teacher education for diversity can occur at a distance using online technologies.