Abstract
Teacher education for inclusive education (IE) is recognized as vital for improving quality and equity in education globally. In the Western Balkan countries it is also part of the transition process towards joining the European Union and has attracted international funding for IE-related projects. A key finding from research funded by the European Training Foundation, carried out by the authors as members of a seven-country research team in 2009–2010, was that the prevailing local understanding of IE was very narrow. In this article we hypothesize the reasons for this finding. We use a case study of school and teacher education systems in Serbia to explore how this understanding has constrained the development of IE and associated teacher education and limited the efficacy of some recent internationally supported developments. We identify both challenges and possible ways forward for teacher education for IE based on promoting a concept of IE that is both collaboratively agreed and comprehensive.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Acedo, C. (2008). Inclusive education: Pushing the boundaries. Prospects, 38(1), 5–13.
Armstrong, A., Armstrong, D., & Spandagou, I. (2010). Inclusive education: International policy and practice. London: Sage Publications.
Batarelo-Kokić, I., Vukelić, A., & Ljubić, M. (2010). Croatia country report. Torino: European Training Foundation.
Bennett, N., & Dunne, E. (1992). Managing classroom groups. London: Simon and Schuster.
Booth, T., & Ainscow, M. (2002). The index for inclusion: Developing learning and participation in schools. Bristol: CSIE.
Booth, T., & Ainscow, M. (2010). Priručnik za inkluzivni razvoj škole. Upotreba Indeksa za inkluzju za razvoj inkluzivne kulture, politike i prakse [Handbook for inclusive school development: Use of Index for Inclusion for development of inclusive culture, policy and practice]. Belgrade: Save the Children-UK SEE, Serbia Programme; Ministry of Education; Institute for the Evaluation of Education Quality.
Čolin, T., & Marković, S. (2004). Children with disabilities in Serbia: Discussion paper and recommendations for medium term policy and planning. Belgrade: Save the Children-UK.
Čorkalo-Biruški, D., & Ajduković, D. (2008). Stavovi učenika, roditelja i nastavnika prema školovanju: što se promijenilo tijekom šest godina u Vukovaru? [Attitudes towards schooling among pupils, parents, and teachers: What has changed over the six years in Vukovar?]. Migracije i etničke teme [Migration and Ethnic Themes], 24(3), 189–216.
European Commission (2005). Common European principles for teachers’ competences and qualifications. Brussels: EC. http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/2010/doc/principles_en.pdf.
European Commission (2008). Improving competences for the 21st century: An agenda for European cooperation on schools. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. http://ec.europa.eu/education/news/news492_en.htm.
Florian, L. (2008). Special or inclusive education? Future trends. British Journal of Special Education, 35(4), 202–208.
Florian, L., & Rouse, M. (2009). The Inclusive Practice Project in Scotland: Teacher education for inclusive education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(4), 594–601.
Frost, D., Durrant, J., Head, M., & Holden, G. (2000). Teacher-led school improvement. London and New York: Routledge Falmer.
Fullan, M. (1993). Change forces: Probing the depths of educational reform. London: Falmer Press.
Green, P. (1999). Raise the standard: A practical guide to raising ethnic minority and bilingual pupils’ achievement. Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham Books.
Hayes, D. (2000). Cascade training and teachers’ professional development. ELT Journal, 54(2), 135–145.
IEEQ [Institute for the Evaluation of Education Quality] (2009). Uloga asistenata za podršku učenicima romske nacionalne manjine kao sistemske mere u unapređivanju obrazovanja Roma [The role of assistants for support to Roma national minority pupils as a system measure for improving Roma education]. Belgrade: IEEQ. http://www.ceo.edu.rs.
Kalyva, E., Gojkovic, D., & Tsakiris, V. (2007). Serbian teachers’ attitudes towards inclusion. International Journal of Special Education, 22, 30–35.
Kidd, J., Sanchez, S., & Thorp, E. (2008). Defining moments: Developing culturally responsive dispositions and teaching practices in early childhood pre-service teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24, 316–329.
Kovács-Cerović, T. (2006). National report: Serbia. In P. Zgaga (Ed.), The prospects for teacher education in South-East Europe (pp. 487–526). Ljubljana: University of Ljubljana.
Lewis, A., & Norwich, B. (Eds.). (2005). Special teaching for special children? Pedagogies for inclusion. Maidenhead: Open University.
Macura-Milovanović, S., Gera, I., & Kovačević, M. (2010). Serbia country report. Torino: European Training Foundation.
Marvin, C. (1998). Individual and whole class teaching. In C. Tilstone, L. Florian, & R. Rose (Eds.), Promoting inclusive practice (pp. 138–156). London: Routledge.
Michailakis, D., & Reich, W. (2009). Dilemmas of inclusive education. ALTER, European Journal of Disability Research, 3, 24–44.
Miles, M., & Huberman, A. (1994). Qualitative data analysis. London: Sage Publications.
Milić, T., Marić, A., Bosković, V., & Šćepović, V. (2010). Montenegro country report. Torino: European Training Foundation.
Miller, P., & Stayton, V. (2006). Interdisciplinary teaming in teacher preparation. Teacher Education and Special Education, 29(1), 56–68.
MoE [Ministry of Education of the Republic of Serbia] (2005). Rulebook for teacher professional development. Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 56/2005.
MoE [Ministry of Education of the Republic of Serbia] (2009). Information on development programmes and projects in pre-school, primary and secondary education. Belgrade: MoE.
MoES [Ministry of Education and Science] (2011). Organizovanje obuka [Organizing teacher trainings]. http://www.mpn.gov.rs/sajt/page.php?page=162.
MoE [Ministry of Education of the Republic of Serbia], and British Council (2005). Handbook for school evaluation and self-evaluation. Belgrade: MoE.
Morgan, C., & Morris, G. (1999). Good teaching and learning: Pupils and teachers speak. Buckingham: Open University.
NARS [National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia] (2005). Law on higher education. Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 76/2005.
NARS [National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia] (2009). Law on the fundamentals of the education system. Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 72/2009.
OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development] (2010). Educating teachers for diversity: Meeting the challenge. Paris: OECD.
Pantić, N., & Wubbels, T. (2010). Teacher competencies as a basis for teacher education: Views of Serbian teachers and teacher educators. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26, 694–703.
Pantić, N., Closs, A., & Ivošević, V. (2010). Teachers for the future: Teacher development for inclusive education in the Western Balkans. Torino: European Training Foundation.
Pavlović, J. (2011). Predstave o obrazovnim promenama u prošlosti: Deset godina našeg života [Perceptions of educational changes in the past: Ten years of our lives]. In U. M. Vujačić, J. Pavlović, D. Stanković, V. Džinović, & I. Đerić (Eds.), Predstave o obrazovnim promenama u Srbiji: Refleksije o prošlosti, vizije budućnosti [Perceptions of educational changes in Serbia: Reflections on the past, visions for the future] (pp. 63–101). Belgrade: Institut za pedagoška istraživanja [Institute for educational research].
Preschool Teacher Training College, Sremska Mitrovica (2011). Individualization of educational process in inclusive settings: Abstracts. Second International Conference, Inclusion in Kindergarten and Primary School, Sremska Mitrovica, 24 June 2011.
Radivojević, D., Jerotijević, M., Stojić, T., Ćirović, D., Radovanović-Tošić, L. J., Kocevska, D., et al. (2009). A guide for advancing inclusive education practice. Belgrade: Fund for an Open Society.
Rajović, V. (2009). IEP as a tool to support a child with special needs in inclusive classrooms: Implications for teacher education. In N. Galevska (Ed.), Book of abstracts, Twelfth International Conference of BASOPED: Inclusive education in the Balkan countries: Policy and practice, Ohrid, 25–27 July, 2009. Skopje: Faculty of Philosophy, University of Sts. Cyril and Methodius.
Rexhaj, X., Mula, M., & Hima, A. (2010). Kosovo (under UNSCR 1244) country report. Torino: European Training Foundation.
Riley, K., & Louis, K. (2000). Leadership for change and school reform: International perspectives. London: RoutledgeFalmer.
Ritchie, J., & Spencer, L. (1994). Qualitative data analysis for applied policy research. In A. Bryman & R. Burgess (Eds.), Analyzing qualitative data (pp. 173–194). London: Routledge.
Savović, B. (2006). Approaching the reform of studying process: Action research review. In B. Savović (Ed.), Reform at the Teacher Education Faculty in Jagodina: Action research (pp. 35–64). Jagodina: Teacher Education Faculty.
Silverman, D. (2005). Doing qualitative research. London: Sage Publications.
Spasovski, O., Ballazhi, S., & Friedman, E. (2010). Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia country report. Torino: European Training Foundation.
Sretenov, D. (2000). An evaluation of attitudes of pre-school teachers from different social and cultural milieu in Yugoslavia towards inclusion of children with mild learning difficulties in regular pre-school. (Unpublished BSc thesis). University of Birmingham, England.
Stanković, D. (2011). Obrazovne promene u Srbiji (2000–2010) [Educational changes in Serbia (2000–2010)]. In U. M. Vujačić, J. Pavlović, D. Stanković, V. Džinović, & I. Đerić (Eds.), Predstave o obrazovnim promenama u Srbiji: Refleksije o prošlosti, vizije budućnosti [Perceptions of educational changes in Serbia: Reflections on the past, visions of the future] (pp. 41–62). Belgrade: Institut za pedagoška istraživanja [Institute for educational research].
Stoll, L., & Louis, K. (2007). Professional learning communities: Divergence, depth and dilemmas. Maidenhead: Open University Press/McGraw Hill Education.
Stoof, A., Martens, R., van Merriënboer, J., & Bastiaens, T. (2002). The boundary approach of competence: A constructivist aid for understanding and using the concept of competence. Human Resource Development Review, 1, 345–365.
Tatto, M. T. (1999). The socializing influence of normative cohesive teacher education on teachers’ beliefs about instructional choice. Teachers and teaching: Theory and practice, 5(1), 95–118.
Tigelaar, D. E. H., Dolmans, D. H. J. M., Wolfhagen, I. H. A. P., & Van Der Vleuten, C. P. M. (2004). The development and validation of a framework for teaching competencies in higher education. Higher Education, 48, 253–268.
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Philosophy (2011). Faculty of Philosophy Master’s Programme for Subject Teachers in Serbia, JP 511170-2010. http://www.f.bg.ac.rs/medjunarodna_saradnja/tempus_JP_511170-2010.
Villegas, A. M. (2007). Dispositions in teacher education: A look at social justice. Journal of Teacher Education, 58, 370–380.
Wannarka, R., & Ruhl, K. (2008). Seating arrangements that promote positive academic and behavioural outcomes: A review of empirical research. Support for Learning, 21(2), 89–93.
Zeichner, K. (2006). Reflections of a university-based teacher educator on the future of college- and university-based teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education, 57(3), 326–340.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
About this article
Cite this article
Macura-Milovanović, S., Pantić, N. & Closs, A. The rationale for a wider concept of inclusive education for teacher education: A case study of Serbia. Prospects 42, 19–39 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-012-9219-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-012-9219-9