This book locates recent developments in teacher certification in North America within a broader, international policy context characterized as hegemonic neo-liberalism wherein economic rationalism has begun to trump professional judgment. We focus on teacher certification because it addresses fundamental questions about who will teach, what are the required minimum levels of competence, and who will make those decisions. Such questions are central to teaching, constituting a new battleground for education in North America. Two ideas-economic rationalism and professionalization-have become pivotal to education policy. Economic rationalism finds its expression in a free market ideology. Professionalization has two meanings: professionalizing the practice of teaching (constructing a professional knowledge base); and professionalizing the status of teaching (through links with universities and self-regulation). These ideas' contestation varies by setting. In the USA, neo-liberalism has attacked professional knowledge, questioning its scientific veracity. Professionalization advocates claim that the neo-liberalist aim is to undermine teaching as a profession. In Canada, neo-liberalist critics are heard but have limited impact on policy. Professionalization has emphasized teachers' pedagogical development and a valuing of the field's input into teacher preparation. Neo-liberalist economic rationalism plays itself out overtly in the USA as de-regulation; in Canada, it lies embedded within labor mobility agreements. In the USA, professionalization highlights professionalism in practice; in Canada, the governance of teaching. This book explores how economic rationalism is using labor mobility agreements in Canada as a covert operation analogous to de-regulation in the USA to assert its dominance in the battle to de-professionalize teaching in North America.

Pressures for reform in teacher education have begun to take on the same sense of urgency as school reform. Those faculties of education who have been strong advocates for change in the schools now find themselves the subject of similar pressures from governmental policy makers. Attempts at change have taken place in many different countries and jurisdictions around the world.; This book details, through a series of international vignettes, how teachers are responding to the changing times and social contexts in which they do their work. The authors hold the view that changes are inevitable in teacher education but what is not clear is who will control the changes and whether the end result will actually improve the preparation of teachers. The theme of the book is that the reform of teacher education should be informed by intelligent debate and that any attempt to restructure teacher preparation should result from a careful reconceptualisation of it purposes and processes.

Pressures for reform in teacher education have begun to take on the same sense of urgency as school reform. Those faculties of education who have been strong advocates for change in the schools now find themselves the subject of similar pressures from governmental policy makers. Attempts at change have taken place in many different countries and jurisdictions around the world.; This book details, through a series of international vignettes, how teachers are responding to the changing times and social contexts in which they do their work. The authors hold the view that changes are inevitable in teacher education but what is not clear is who will control the changes and whether the end result will actually improve the preparation of teachers. The theme of the book is that the reform of teacher education should be informed by intelligent debate and that any attempt to restructure teacher preparation should result from a careful reconceptualisation of it purposes and processes.

This book locates recent developments in teacher certification in North America within a broader, international policy context characterised as hegemonic neo-liberalism wherein economic rationalism has begun to trump professional judgement. We focus on teacher certification because it addresses fundamental questions about who will teach, what are the required minimum levels of competence, and who will make those decisions. Such questions are central to teaching, constituting a new battleground for education in North America. Two ideas-economic rationalism and professionalisation-have become pivotal to education policy. Economic rationalism finds its expression in a free market ideology. Professionalisation has two meanings: professionalizing the practice of teaching (constructing a professional knowledge base); and professionalizing the status of teaching (through links with universities and self-regulation). These ideas' contestation varies by setting. In the USA, neo-liberalism has attacked professional knowledge, questioning its scientific veracity. Professionalisation advocates claim that the neo-liberalist aim is to undermine teaching as a profession. In Canada, neo-liberalist critics are heard but have limited impact on policy. Professionalisation has emphasised teachers' pedagogical development and a valuing of the field's input into teacher preparation. Neo-liberalist economic rationalism plays itself out overtly in the USA as deregulation; in Canada, it lies embedded within labor mobility agreements. In the USA, professionalisation highlights professionalism in practice; in Canada, the governance of teaching. This book explores how economic rationalism is using labor mobility agreements in Canada as a covert operation analogous to deregulation in the USA to assert its dominance in the battle to de-professionalize teaching in North America.