Challenges to the field of teacher education research

The Editors’ challenges to the field of teacher education ask us to take stock: what is education for? What is our role in preparing new teachers to educate the nation? In their introduction to the panel discussing these challenges, they asked three questions: “Does ‘the field’ need to be challenged?”; “Can ‘the field’ be challenged?,” and “In which direction(s)?” Their answers were “yes,” “yes,” and “tell us.” Academic journals, of course, cannot change the world, but they can do far more than simply reflect back to us what we are thinking and doing to advance knowledge. Over time they certainly reflect the changes in our thinking, and from time to time they can intervene, as these editors are attempting to do, by taking a stand and asking explicit questions about the directions they believe we should be taking–challenging us, in fact, to think again, and perhaps, change our minds about what we think we should be doing.