Alberta’s New Teaching Quality Standard and Its Implications for Teacher Education

• Published in: Journal of educational thought Vol. 51; no. 2; pp. 162 - 183
• Main Authors: Rheaume, Julia, Spencer, Brenda L., Donlevy, J. Kent, Gereluk, Dianne, Brandon, Jim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 10-05-2019
• DOI: 10.55016/ojs/jet.v51i2.58451
• EISSN: 2561-7990
• ISSN: 0022-0701

This article examines the implications of the new provincially mandated Teaching Quality Standard (TQS) for teacher education programs in Alberta, Canada. We review the current context of teacher education in Alberta and the policy background of the TQS. We then consider how the TQS might serve as an appropriate framework for teacher preparation programs and suggest, using Bell and Stevenson’s (2015) policy analytics, how the new TQS has emerged and may be enacted. We conclude that if the TQS is to serve as a framework for teacher preparation, increased collaboration is needed among those providing teacher preparation programs, and indeed among all education stakeholders, as is assurance of ongoing democratic processes for negotiating and reviewing the policy and its practices.