Journal Article

Pre-service teachers’ views of an ideal teacher for a fast-changing world

Mello, Pumzile Lydia, Gravett, Sarah

2025

Overview

This article reports on a study that explored final-year pre-service teachers’ conceptualisations of an ideal teacher for a fast-changing world. The study was framed by literature on reflective practice. A basic qualitative research design was used to examine how the pre-service teachers constructed meaning of the phenomenon under study. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and thorough analysis of the pre-service teachers’ fourth-year research projects. The findings are that ideal teachers must be adaptable, digitally literate and fluent for a fast-changing world, encourage agency in the teaching and learning environment, use innovative teaching methods, and value continuous professional development. The findings lead to the question as to whether teacher education programmes pay sufficient attention to preparing pre-service teachers for the fast-changing world, specifically in the curriculum and through practices taught.

• Publisher: University of the Free State
• Subject: 21st century teachers / fast-changing world / Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) / Ideal teacher / pre-service teacher education