Higher Education Faculty Versus High School Teacher - Does Pedagogical Preparation Make a Difference? - Perspectives Essay

Oct 15, 2026

The perspectives essay argues that higher education faculty are not held to the same standards of pedagogical preparation as primary and secondary teachers. It compares pedagogical preparation differences between higher education faculty and high school teachers, citing research on why pedagogical training matters. The essay proposes ways to strengthen higher education teaching practices and identifies teaching and assessment resources. It concludes by encouraging faculty to pursue training and invest effort to become more effective instructors.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Differences in pedagogical preparation

Research support for pedagogical training

PERSPECTIVES Higher Education Faculty Versus High School Teacher: Does Pedagogical Preparation Make a Difference? Jamie L. Jensen Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602 Email: [Jamie.Jensen@BYU.edu](Jamie.Jensen@BYU.edu) Abstract: Higher education faculty are not held to the same standard of pedagogical preparation as primary and secondary teachers. This perspectives essay points out the difference in pedagogical preparations between higher education faculty and high school teachers. The essay highlights research indicating the importance of pedagogical training, offers suggestions on how to improve higher education teaching practices, and lists valuable teaching and assessment resources. Lastly, the essay encourages higher education faculty to seek pedagogical training and expend the necessary effort to become more effective instructors. Key Words: Teacher preparation, teacher effectiveness, assessment, pedagogy, teaching strategies INTRODUCTION In the discipline of biology, students vary widely in the emphases they pursue. One of these emphases is in education with the end goal of being a highschool biology teacher. Although total credit hours required to graduate in each degree program are generally consistent, at many universities, credit hours specified by a major in secondary education are substantially greater than for other majors in the department. This is because these students must not only learn the subject matter, but must spend an equal amount of time immersed in pedagogical training. Their peers, on the other hand, who choose to pursue a graduate degree with the intent to become a college teacher and researcher, rarely require pedagogical training. Is teaching in high schools versus institutes of higher education really so different? After personal observations and involvement in both high school and college teaching, my conclusion is that the challenges teachers face at either level are very much the same. The difference is in teacher preparation and accountability, and high school teachers, on average, have more of both. Does pedagogical training make a difference? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN PEDAGOGICAL PREPARATION BETWEEN HIGH SCHOOL AND HIGHER EDUCATION? The U.S. federal government has put in place stringent requirements to become certified as a primary or secondary teacher. According to the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC), a national organization that works with states to set state standards for K-12 teacher licensure, three standards must be met: an understanding of the learner and the process of learning; an understanding of the content knowledge; and an understanding of appropriate and effective instructional practices (including how to plan lessons, strategies for implementation, and assessment of learning; InTASC, 2011) . As a consequence, to become a high school teacher, minimum state standards require an average of 54 credit hours of subject-specific content (based on a comparison of secondary science education majors at 6 institutions across the countryJ see Table 1), approximately equivalent to any basic science major, with typically an additional 16 to 24 credit hours of pedagogical training, and 12 plus credit hours of student teaching, which translates to a minimum often weeks of fulltime teaching in the classroom. This makes a secondary education major, on average, 33 credit hours more than a standard science degree (e.g., biology, physics, or chemistry), sometimes requiring a m􀀄􀀇􀀈􀀍􀀐􀀏􀀇 degree. The pedagogical training typically includes courses in child and adolescent development, multicultural and special needs education, cognitive psychology, behavioral theories, classroom management, the use of technology in the classroom, and curriculum design. Certainly some of these courses are necessary pre-requisites to teaching children. However, even those who will teach highschool are required to learn

FAQs

How do the essay’s standards for pedagogical preparation differ between higher education faculty and K-12 teachers?

The essay states that higher education faculty are not held to the same standard of pedagogical preparation as primary and secondary teachers, emphasizing that K-12 certification includes specific pedagogical requirements.

What are the typical credit hour and coursework components for becoming a high school biology teacher?

The essay describes K-12 teacher preparation as requiring substantial subject-specific content credits plus additional pedagogical training and student teaching, with coursework covering areas such as child and adolescent development, special needs education, classroom management, and curriculum design.

What research evidence does the essay use to support the importance of pedagogical training?

The essay cites peer-reviewed studies indicating that pedagogical training improves outcomes, including evidence that trained college professors practice more student-centered teaching and report stronger self-efficacy.

Oct 15, 2026

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