It is often said that the children of teachers tend to choose to become teachers themselves. However, the factors that lead such children to choose the same career as their parents are little studied. Moreover, in family relationships, the factors that contribute to this occupational inheritance have not been analyzed thus far. This paper aims to examine the factors behind having parents who are teachers in the anticipatory socialization of teachers.

  First, the influences of parents being teachers on leading their children to choose the same occupation were investigated among university undergraduate students regardless of their occupational choice. While the proportion of those who wish to pursue the same occupation as their parents whose occupation is not teaching is somewhat low（below 10％）, that of children who wish to become teachers pursing the same occupation as their parents is higher（17.3％）. In addition, after other variables were controlled for, in the children who wish to become teachers, the factor of desiring the same job as their parents has had a marked influence on their choice of the occupation of teaching from among other occupations.

  Next, the characteristics of family relationships were examined. For trainee teachers whose parents are teachers, 72.9％ were first-born children, compared to between around 40-50％ of trainee teachers whose parents were not teachers. Moreover, they had a richer experience of studying with their parents in early childhood.

  These two factors are considered as the concrete factors of anticipatory socialization in the case of children whose parents are teachers. With regard to the high rate of first-born children, it is considered to be the result of the remaining ideology of stem families or the labeling effect, which concerns the role of the eldest child caring for his/her younger siblings. With respect to their rich experience of studying with their parents, it is presumed that in the process of studying, they deeply acknowledged their parents' vocational roles as teachers and unconsciously learned the habitus or ethos which is characteristic of teachers.

  This study aims to analyze the changes taking place in teacher training after the transformation of Normal Colleges to Universities in modern China.

  The research approaches the subject from three perspectives: first, changes occurring to the content of teacher training in the course of the normal colleges' transformation to universities; second, how university teachers appreciate and adjust teaching plans to these changes in the content of teacher training; and third, the influences on the quality of teacher training following such transformation and the general background to this change, based on the analysis of the first two perspectives.

  This research takes “University A” as the research object, analyzing its transformation from a normal college to a university. On the basis of studying University A's teaching curriculum over the past 10 years, investigating its training policy and teaching plans, as well as interviewing teachers in its education department, the author summarizes changes taking place in its teaching content and teachers' attitude and adapting strategy towards the transformation, and attempts to study influences on the teaching quality of University A's teacher training.

  From this analysis, the author concludes the following:（1）the education program of primary school teachers has been absorbed into university education;（2）curriculum and teaching reform, which is aimed at forming the basis of practical leadership training, is being undertaken; and（3）greater emphasis has been placed on teacher's professionalism. In short, progress has been made in A's teacher training quality as a result of the transformation to a university. The following two issues, however, are left for future research: an examination of（1）the market-oriented evaluation system of university teachers and of（2）the insufficient quantity of teachers being cultivated by the universities.

  The purpose of this study is to examine how mentors regard the competencies of new teachers and how they plan the basic policies for educating them, focusing on “X Prefecture” as an example.

  First, the mentors find that the beginner teachers currently training have computer literacy and knowledge and skills which constitute teaching competencies, but their passive attitude is a problem. This is in comparison to beginner teachers in the past who did not undertake probationary training; they had a willingness to learn, but their teaching competencies were insufficient. In other words, the merits and demerits of these two groups are opposite.

  Second, the mentors' basic policies for educating beginner teachers differ according to school type. In elementary schools, they mainly tend to develop the beginner teachers' teaching competencies, whereas in junior high schools, emphasis is placed on understanding the beginner teachers, with mentors tending to focus on maintaining the physical and mental health of the novice teachers.

  Third, it was found that the mentors properly ascertain the beginner teachers' competencies and plan their basic policies based on their understanding of such competencies. Also, they act as mentors in step with the development of the new teachers.

  Fourth, the mentors find significance in the beginner teachers' probationary training system. Many improvements are required however; for example, burden on both the beginner teachers and the mentors should be reduced, and important elements which schools once provided non-institutionally in their training should be incorporated.

  These findings can contribute to developing the competencies of new teachers as well as to improving the teaching practices of their mentors.

  The purpose of this study is to clarify the effectiveness of INSET（In-Service Education and Training）, a system that has been operating since 2006 for the professional development of “excellent teachers” who have received an annual recommendation at prefectural level and commendation from the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

  In this study, it is assumed that data collected from questionnaires completed by excellent teachers reflect successful models of professional development in the teaching profession. This paper particularly analyzes the effect of self-development on professional development, one of the main targets of INSET.

  How could these excellent teachers come to achieve a level of professional development which deserves commendation? Their life courses, in terms of college of education, selection, placement and transfers, INSET and so forth, can serve as model cases for the personnel management of successful teachers. Although there are many factors involved in professional development, INSET is especially important, because it is directly connected with educational practice.

  Results of the questionnaire analysis show the responses of excellent teachers are as follows. First, the effect of self-development on professional development is higher than other effects of INSET. Second, there are four main concepts of self-development which can influence their professional development and experience. Third, excellent teachers are likely to sacrifice their time for and spend considerable money on self-development. Finally, self-development is a base for professional development, and because various training supplements itself, a marked synergy effect is created.

  For the future, it is necessary to expand the scope of this study to encompass the effects of “On-the-Job Training” and “Off-the-Job Training”, and to conduct a comprehensive analysis by additionally conducting interview studies.

  The general view of universities has tended to change in recent years because of the popularization of higher education and various changes in higher education policies. Accountability for the quality of higher education is demanded by not only students and their parents but also the public at large.

  The change in this view of universities and the trend toward accountability also apply to the nation's teacher training course conducted at universities. The Report by the Central Council for Education（2006）proposed self-monitoring and self-evaluation of universities with course authorization, and ex-post valuation from the technical point of view. The report demands qualitative improvement of the teacher training course.

  Therefore, this paper focuses on the view of “relevance” adopted by higher education research in recent years, and presents an analysis of the relationship between the contents and activities of the teacher training course and teacher competence practically required in schools. In particular, this paper examines the relationship and the structure of factors concerning what types of learning and activities in universities influence the forming of what kind of competencies.

  This research conducted a questionnaire survey of junior high school teachers in two prefectures. The results suggest that broad competence is developed through professional learning about the teaching profession. In addition, some important competencies were formed by informal activities at the universities.

  It is often pointed out that the teacher training course at universities is not useful for training quality teachers. However, the results of this study confirmed some effectiveness of the course. An evaluation of the educational effect is needed nowadays; thus, it is important through empirical research about the function of the present teacher training course to examine the necessity and validity of educational reform.

  In Japan, an expansion of teacher education from Bachelor's level to Master's level is planned. Finland has around 30 years of experience providing Master's level teacher education and thus it is meaningful to examine the country's curriculum. Moreover, Finnish teacher education is “research-based” education. The aim of this study is to examine the theoretical landscape of Finnish teacher education and to analyze the curriculum. Since 1979, both primary and secondary school teachers in Finland have been educated at universities, attaining the qualification of a Master's degree.

  Since then, the research activity of teachers has been emphasized in the curriculum. The aim of Finnish teacher education is to educate future teachers who have an inquiring attitude and can develop their work independently. Such education is characterized as “research-based teacher education” by some Finnish researchers. This paper identifies some features of research-based teacher education through examining the researchers' papers. The biggest feature is the close integration of theory and practice. To connect theory and practice, the notion of two levels of teacher education（basic level and general level）and the notion of two-fold practice（practice of teaching and practice of research）in teacher education are introduced. Pedagogical thinking is required of the student teachers, as is their ability to use and produce research to develop their work on the curriculum. How is the curriculum of research-based teacher education constructed? This paper analyzes the curriculum of the Department of Teacher Education in the Faculty of Education of Jyväskylä University as an example of research-based teacher education.

  Life story narratives can not only give many insights to “the listeners” through “listening” but also provide various aspects of “awareness and discoveries” to “the narrators” themselves through reflection on their own lives. On the basis of this concept, a “Teachers' School” in Hokkaido has been creating “plays” to be performed on stage which are based on “teachers' life stories”. The life story is told by the experienced teacher him or herself in the role of “narrator” to “listeners” who are also teachers. Through these activities, the author has recognized that the process itself in which people “tell” and “listen to” the story in the form of a “play” can be an opportunity for “joint learning” among teachers.

  Moreover, these activities, in which teachers “tell”, “listen”, and “dramatize” their life stories, seem to provoke much “awareness” and provide many “discoveries” for the narrator upon “reflecting and reexamining” his or her own life. The activities can also greatly “change and transform” the teacher's ideas, acting as a career “turning point” and prompting growth as a teacher.

  In this paper, the author examines the “change and transformation” experienced by a veteran teacher who told his “life story” at the “Teachers' School” in Hokkaido and the wealth it created for his further growth as a teacher.