Teacher Quality
Current issues
and approaches
Why is improving teacher quality
now such an important issue?
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Teachers were not always considered
important in the achievement of improved
educational outcomes.

Istance (2001) suggests four reasons for the
current importance given to improving teacher
quality
Why is improving teacher quality
important now?

Teachers contribute to knowledge-based
economies, social inclusion, cultural
participation and citizenship.

Teachers are now recognised as being central
to the success of education and improving
outcomes
Why is improving teacher quality
important now?

Increasing demands and expectations on
teachers working within uncertain contexts
necessitate a high quality, flexible and
adaptable teaching force.

Governments are concerned about teacher
supply with projected shortages and the
potential impact of these on teacher quality.
What is the role of a teacher in the
knowledge economy?
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The role of the teacher in a knowledge
economy is shaped by –
The educational context in which they work
The nature of the knowledge that is to be learnt
Social and cultural agendas for education
Economic priorities and resource availability
The teacher’s role in a knowledge
economy is shaped by 
The educational context in which they work
What kind of educational contexts will be the
main sites for teachers work?
The education of children and young people
already takes place at home; teachers work
with various ICT’s, in refugee and migrant
education facilities, University and TAFE
settings and there are expectations for
contributing to life long learning.
The teacher’s role in a knowledge
economy is shaped by The nature of the ‘knowledge’ to be learnt.
What are students expected to know/do/value?
The Adelaide Declaration identifies:
Eight talents and capabilities
Eight Key Learning areas
Six areas of social justice
The teacher’s role in a knowledge
economy is shaped by Social and cultural agendas for education.
How will teachers contribute to creating a socially
just society that values cultural and linguistic
diversity?
The Adelaide Declaration provides for the
absence of discrimination,
improving outcomes for disadvantaged students,
equitable access and opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islanders,
valuing of these cultures and working towards reconciliation,
valuing of cultural and linguistic diversity,
access to high quality education with clear pathways to
employment, further education and training.
The teacher’s role in a knowledge
economy is shaped by Economic priorities and resource availability.
How will education be funded?
Davis (2001) questions our current convictions
about education; for example,
Can we deliver education for all?
Do we need to widen the responsibility for
education?
Who should be accountable for delivery?
So what is teacher quality or quality
teaching?
Descriptions of teacher quality emerge from a
number of sources:

Teacher effectiveness research,

Development of professional standards,
competency frameworks, performance
management systems and career paths,

Research into teacher development, learning
and knowledge construction.
Why, how and by whom is a
teacher’s performance assessed?
Why do we assess a teacher’s performance?
1. As feedback to support professional
learning and change in practice,
2. As a basis for selection
3. To recognize and/or reward excellence,
4. As an evaluation, accountability and/or
monitoring tool.
Why, how and by whom is a
teacher’s performance assessed?
How do we assess a teacher’s performance?
 Observation of classroom practice
 Tests of knowledge (about their subject(s),
teaching skills, student learning, curriculum,
assessment, ICT, context of the school etc.)
 Authentic assessment tasks, e.g. portfolios,
 Performance assessments, e.g. role play,
 Assessment Centre exercises, e.g. reflective
review.
Why, how and by whom is a
teacher’s performance assessed?
Who assesses a teacher’s performance?
Initial teacher education:
School (usually a teacher) and university personnel
Probation/Beginning teachers: Head of Department
School principal, District or Employer representative
Promotion/New teaching position: Head of
Department, School principal, District or Employer
representative
Why, how and by whom is a
teacher’s performance assessed?
Two examples of innovative strategies:

Assessment of teacher quality for selection of
Level 3 Classroom teachers in Western
Australia.

National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards Assessments for recognition of
highly accomplished teaching in the United
States.
Level 3 Classroom teachers
Context:
Development and implementation of processes
in an EBA agreement, supported by Union and
Employer.
Contracted out as a pilot research and
development program.
Level 3 Classroom teachers
Process:
Development of five competencies relating to:
Classroom practices
Assessment and reporting
Professional development (self)
Support for professional development of peers
Contribution to curriculum, policy, school
and/or community development
Level 3 Classroom teachers
Portfolio structure:
Rationale/context statement (2 pages)
Statements for each of the five competencies
(Maximum – 10 pages)
Evidence to support teacher statement of
achievement of each competency
(Maximum 15 pages)
Level 3 Classroom teachers
Portfolio assessment:
 Peer assessment
(Assessors selected on the basis of teaching
quality).
 Each portfolio assessed independently by two
assessors on quality of the evidence.
 Moderation to within one point agreement.
Level 3 Classroom teachers
Selection of 313 teachers for second stage
assessment - THE REFLECTIVE REVIEW
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Observed and assessed by two peers
Agreement within one point on ratings
Judgement of Competencies 3, 4 and 5 based
on the quality of evidence presented and
observed in the reflective review.
Level 3 Classroom teachers
Reflective review process:
 Each member of a group of 5 teachers
presents a real issue/concern/problem (5 mins)
 Presenter facilitates discussion of the issue(15
mins)
 Presenter summarizes the discussion and
reflects on this for his/her issue. (5 mins)
Level 3 Classroom teachers
261 teachers appointed to the Level 3
Classroom Teacher promotional position.
Salary level $3-4000 above Level 2.
This assessment process was repeated in 2000.
2001 - The number of L3 teachers is around 300.
(about 2% of the teaching population in WA)
Level 3 Classroom teachers
Equity outcomes
The proportions of teachers appointed by
gender,
location,
level/type of school and
experience
reflected that of both the applicants and total
population of teachers.
Level 3 Classroom teachers
Educational and professional outcomes:
 Opportunities to work with colleagues and
share professional expertise together with the
recognition and acknowledgement of their work
were seen to improve professional expertise,
morale, self esteem and confidence for both
themselves and other teachers.
Level 3 Classroom teachers
Educational and professional outcomes :

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Implementation of specific projects, often for
students at educational risk, such as individual
education plans.
Other projects included fostering studentcentred approaches, student independence
and enjoyment in work.
National Board Certification
National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards
 Independent body with majority teacher
membership.
 Standards statements developed by teams of
teachers for subjects and/or levels of
schooling.
 Peers assessed portfolio of specified tasks,
completed during a year.
National Board Certification
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Outcomes are similar to those suggested by
Level 3 Classroom teachers:
Professional development leading to changes
in practice and support for colleagues.
Contributions to specific projects.
Evidence of improved student learning
outcomes after involvement in the process.
Is teacher quality being developed
and rewarded appropriately?

Does professional development lead to
improvements in teacher quality?
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Do improvements in teacher quality lead to
improvements in student outcomes?
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What kinds of rewards should be given for
teacher quality?
What is happening here and
overseas?
Work in Australia:
DETYA research and development projects:
Mapping of Professional Development
Investigating the outcomes of professional
development on teacher quality and student
learning outcomes. (ACER)
What is happening here and
elsewhere?
Work in Australia:
ARC/SPIRT grants to Science, Mathematics and
English professional associations working with
Universities on the development of standards.
State developments:
A range of initiative to establish professional state
bodies to determine training, entry and continuing
registration requirements for teachers.
What is happening here and
elsewhere?
Some web sites addressing teacher quality issues.

Centre for the Study of Teaching and Policy
http://www.depts.washington.edu/ctpmail/
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Department for Education and Skills (2001)
Career opportunities for teachers.
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/teachingreforms/reformbri
efs/trb/06.
What is happening here and
elsewhere?
Some web sites addressing teacher quality issues.
 ACE (2001) Standards of professional practice
for accomplished teachers in Australian Schools.
http://www.austcolled.com.au/

Education Queensland (2001) Showcase –
awards for excellence.
http://education.qld.gov.au/tal/showcase/awards_
excellence/index.html
What is happening here and
elsewhere?
Some web sites addressing teacher quality issues.
 McBer, H. (2000) A model for teaching
effectiveness. Report to the Department of
Education and Employment.
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/teachingreforms/leadershi
p/mcber/index.shtml

National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards (2001) www.nbpts.org
What is happening here and
elsewhere?
Some web sites addressing teacher quality issues.
 Ontario College of Teachers
http://www.oct.on.ca/english/
 Ramsey, G. (2000) Quality matters: the next
steps. Sydney, NSW.
http://www.det.nsw.edu.au/teachrev/
 Ministerial Advisory Council for the Victorian
Institute of Teaching (2001) Publications, news
etc. http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/macvit/
What should we be doing now?
Enabling conversations between teachers about
the assessment of their performance.
What are appropriate strategies?
Who should make the judgement about quality?
What criteria/standards might be used?
What would count as evidence?
What should we be doing now?

Be clear about different purposes for the
assessment of teachers’ performances.
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Develop appropriate assessment strategies.
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Encourage discussion between state
registration boards and advisory bodies.
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