Developing professional knowledge during initial design and technology teacher education

This article seeks to identify the components which make up teachers' professional knowledge:subject content knowledgepedagogical content knowledgecurricular knowledgeschool subject knowledge";I don't think anything quite prepares you for teaching in a class does it?"; (ITT technology student).The greater involvement of schools in theprofessional development of new teachers makes it increasingly important to establish a common framework of understanding between students, school staff and lecturers in higher education. This understanding naturally covers common expectations of subject teaching competences to enter the profession, such as those pUblished by DATA (1995). School-Higher Education Institute (HEI) partnerships have existed for years, but an increased use of subject 'mentoring' in initial teacher education means it is useful also to extend our common understanding to a fuller discussion of the different components which make up teacher professional knowledge. Staff at the Centre for Research into Teacher Education (CRETE) at the Open University are working to develop such a framework of teacher professional knowledge and are researching how aspects of such knowledge (or the lack of them!) impact on school teacher performance. More research needs to be done, but I suggest here some preliminary ideas of a framework which could help discussion and lead to shared language amongst the different 'players'; students, school-based mentors and HEI tutors