Abstract
One of the enduring challenges in teacher education is achieving a coherent integration between theoretical coursework and school-based practical experience. This often leads to a misalignment in student teachers' learning, where either theoretical or practical knowledge may be disproportionately emphasised to the detriment of the other. Moreover, the perspectives of teacher educators – who play a crucial role in guiding this integration – are not sufficiently understood in diverse educational contexts like South Africa and Sweden. This study delves into the transformative trends that have shaped teacher education methodologies over the past two to three decades, focusing on the 'university/research turn,' 'accountability turn,' and 'practice turn.' These shifts advocate for extended immersion in classroom settings as a means to enhance teacher preparedness. At the institutions involved, student teachers spend two to three days per week in school-based practice, balancing this with campus-based theoretical coursework. Employing qualitative methods and adopting the framework of boundary crossing, the study investigates how teacher educators in South Africa and Sweden perceive and support student teachers in navigating the interplay between these dual learning environments. The findings underscore the positive impact of workplace learning in both contexts, where some student teachers can seamlessly connect theoretical knowledge to practical application and vice versa. However, a critical observation emerges regarding the potential prioritisation of practical knowledge at the expense of theoretical understanding – a contention often A Comparative Analysis of Teacher Education 135 raised as a criticism of the practice turn. Notably, the study sheds light on the intricate balance required for effective reflective learning, as teacher educators observe a tendency among student teachers to align more closely with their workplace. This phenomenon resonates with Bruner's (2009) conceptualisation of an epistemological divide between school and university concerning the definition of valid knowledge in teacher education. The study highlights the nuances involved in bridging the gap between academic and practical realms, underscoring the need for a symbiotic relationship that facilitates the seamless integration of theoretical principles and work-integrated learning. Moreover, it is crucial to evaluate curriculum restructuring needs in professional higher education to effectively facilitate these transformative changes. The study offers insights that extend beyond the contexts of South Africa and Sweden by contributing to identifying best practices, systemic gaps, and to a more nuanced understanding of effective teacher education within diverse global contexts.