ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that those interested in initial teacher education (ITE) in Canada would benefit from paying attention to trends and issues in the field internationally for several reasons. Across Canada and around the world, state and other parties advocate a range of purposes for teacher education. In 2014, the Journal of Education for Teaching published a fortieth anniversary special issue on the theme "International Teacher Education: Changing Times, Changing Practices". A key political and policy factor shaping policy and practice related to ITE in Canada is the evolving relationship between Aboriginal Peoples and Settlers. Around the world, there is recognition that control of ITE provides great potential in shaping educational policy and practice and, through that, social development more generally. Ubiquitous in literature about professional education generally and teacher education in particular is concern for the balance between theory and practice.
