Social constructions of quality in teaching

Abstract

By means of short case studies of four different periods in education policy in teacher education, the idea of teacher quality is shown to be a context‐based idea. It is never self‐evident but always contested. The essay concentrates on the way policy makers or managers have defined teacher quality in their policy changes or management action. The concept of teacher quality, through the idea of the context‐bound ‘good teacher’, is seen to be a way in which changes in the recruitment, training and work of teachers are managed.