Chapter 3: The State Control of Teacher Education and Professional Development

Advanced, highly specialized training is central to the modern conception of a professional. Debates about teacher professionalization in countries like Sweden routinely link teacher professionalization with improved university-level education as well as the development of professional learning communities that serve as vehicles for continuous professional development (CPD) (Åstrand, 2023, 2025). The question of who sets the educational standards for certification or licensure, and who produces the specialized knowledge (e.g., Pedagogical Content Knowledge or PCK) diverges greatly among nations (Tatto & Menter, 2019a). As Darling-Hammond noted, the degree and manner of state control vary significantly across countries, influenced by historical, cultural, and political contexts (Darling-Hammond, 2017). Also, the rise of global testing programs like Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) (Meyer & Benavot, 2013a, 2013b) means that: “Increasingly, curriculum and testing regimes have begun to control notions about the knowledge that is ‘policy worthy’” (Tatto & Menter, 2019b, p. 260).