**1. Introduction**

The purpose of this chapter is to shed light on the relation between student teachers' professional development and student-active learning methods in teacher education. By introducing and discussing two examples of active learning conducted with student teachers in Norwegian teacher education, the chapter will draw attention to the teacher's role when incorporating collaborative, interactive, and participatory approaches in teacher education. In the first example, I will report from a case study on student teachers' engagement with the Scandinavian Romani exhibit at a local museum in inland Norway. In the second example, I will introduce a project using virtual reality (VR) technology designed to build student teachers' capacity for their future professional role in schools.

In the two examples, I will illustrate how the teacher educator plays a crucial role in student-centered learning by acting as "a more competent peer" [1]. This role includes modeling behavior for student teachers and providing a space in which they can imitate the role of a professional teacher. Moreover, it includes the responsibility to nurture and challenge reflections, skills, and understanding by asking questions and providing critical instruction, guidance, and scaffolding [2]. As such, this chapter will challenge the view that student-active learning methodologies reduce the role of the teachers to passive facilitators who leave the learners to grow and advance on their own.

As noted by Bergmann and Sams [3], a common misconception regarding studentactive methodologies is that they turn the teacher-student relationship upside-down compared to traditional teaching approaches. Within this misunderstanding, the teacher, who played the active part in the traditional classroom, is replaced with the active student, leaving the students to discover, interpret, and develop knowledge and skills on their own. I argue that utilizing the potential for positive outcomes of student involvement very much depends on the teacher educator's ability to plan, structure, and lead the process of learning. Applying student active learning methodologies in teacher education implies rethinking the role of the teacher educator. The positive outcomes of student success and development are more likely to happen when teachers engage with their students, take their responsibility seriously regarding creating a positive learning environment, and provide guidance and support for their active student learners.

This chapter is structured as follows: first, I will provide an argument for why student-centered learning should be considered an imperative not only in school but also in teacher education. Second, as a background for presenting and discussing the two pedagogical examples, I will elaborate on the concept of student-oriented learning, tracing its roots back to the works of classical education thinkers, such as Freire [4, 5] and Dewey [6, 7]. Third, I will refer to two examples of student-active learning methodologies in teacher education, discussing how the two examples can contribute to enhancing student teachers' professional development, focusing on critical consciousness and self-reflection. In particular, I will draw attention to the leading role of the teacher educator, discussing what we can learn from these examples regarding a collaborative, interactive, and participatory involvement from both student teachers and teacher educators.
