The 2003 National Teacher Education Institute for Career and Technical Teacher Education was held in Scottsdale AZ on February 3–5, 2003. The theme of the Institute was Pathways to the Future: Preparing and Developing Secondary and Postsecondary Career and Technical Education Teachers. Participants included 118 individuals from 28 states and two foreign countries (Kenya and Singapore), and included representatives from entities such as: colleges and universities, community colleges, K–12 schools, regional education agencies, state education agencies, national organizations, state teaching certification/licensing agencies, labor groups, business and industry, community organizations, and educational consultants. The Institute was organized around four program strands: Increasing the Academic and Technical Achievement of Teacher Candidates, Designing Career and Technical Teacher Education Programs that Work, Increasing Collaboration and Flexibility, and Providing Options for Increasing the Supply of Teachers/Faculty.

A total of 45 proposals were solicited and submitted via the National Centers for Career and Technical Education (NCCTE) web site (http://www.nccte.org). A peer review process was conducted on each proposal. Three peer reviewers evaluated each proposal based on the following criteria: Session format, session topic, quality, clarity, and institute participant-centeredness. The peer review resulted in 32 proposals accepted for presentation, which were then grouped by session format and strand.

There were four types of sessions at the Institute: Individual Papers, Roundtables, Poster Displays, and Symposia. Individual Papers were based on the four program strands and allowed participants to share their work. A discussant reviewed each presentation and encouraged interaction among the session attendees. Roundtables provided attendees the opportunities to engage in discussions and exploration of work in larger contexts. The work presented was at a stage where the author(s) benefited from feedback and critical input before taking on the next level of developmental work. Poster Displays provided the opportunity for participants to share exciting developments regarding innovative teacher education and professional development activities being conducted in their programs, departments, schools, and colleges. Poster displays allowed for information to be presented concisely and visually for viewers to take in quickly. Selected posters were displayed throughout the Institute. Symposia provided an opportunity for a session organizer to submit a proposal in which multiple presenters delivered a diverse range of viewpoints on an issue of major importance or an in-depth description of a major issue or practice. These sessions were devoted to presenting alternative views and encouraging participant interaction.

Upon conclusion of the paper presentations and symposia, time was allocated for reflection and dialogue regarding the information that had been shared in each of the strands. These sessions provided participants the opportunity for summarizing what had been shared, identifying issues for each strand, and determining implications for policy and practice that should be addressed. Discussion groups provided summary recommendations for each strand, such as:

• Increasing Academic and Technical Achievement of Teacher Candidates – Sample recommendation: Recognize the importance of both technical skills and pedagogy in the preparation of teachers, and include both in teacher development programs.

• Increasing Collaboration and Flexibility – Sample recommendation: Build relationships and credits acceptance among the agencies providing CTTE.

• Providing Options for Increasing the Supply of Teachers/Faculty – Sample recommendation: Increase the role of these agencies and technical or community colleges in the preparation of CTE teachers. -

• Designing Career and Technical Teacher Education Programs that Work – Sample recommendation: Structure alternative pathways to teacher certification/licensure

Overall, participants rated the Institute high (4.5 on a 5–point scale). Among the participant comments regarding the benefits of the meeting were the following: “The opportunity to learn, to the point of evaluation, of the teacher development program at my university. I found ‘the academics and technical achievement of teacher candidates’ very helpful as I continually update curriculum in my program.” “Good research-based information.” “Quality research-based practices/sharing.” “The opportunity to learn about issues and initiatives around the country (and world).” “I appreciated the methodical effort implemented to select presentations and place them within excellent themes.”

McCaslin, N. L., & Parker, R. (2003). 2003 National Career and Technical Teacher Education Institute final report. Columbus, OH: National Dissemination Center for Career and Technical Education.

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