Development, Evolution, and Implementation of Teachers Professional Standards: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

The publication of examination scores from the Programme for International Students Assessment and the associated public discourses on which countries perform excellently and which ones do not have raised questions about teacher quality across the globe. Professional Teaching Standards have been suggested, designed, and implemented worldwide in varied shapes. Some have argued that Teachers’ Professional Standards increase teacher quality, which translates into an improvement in students’ learning achievement. Professional Teaching Standards are viewed by many as part of the solution to the current deficit in global education and learning. This paper, therefore, examines the evolution, development, implementation and impact of Professional Teaching Standards on the learning outcomes of students. The desk research design was employed for the study, enabling the researchers to review local and international policy documents, journals, textbooks, newspapers, conference papers and manuals for secondary data. The study established that most countries use results from Programme for International Students Assessment to vindicate their educational efforts. However, mixed findings were recorded on the impact of Professional Teaching Standards on the country’s Programme for International Students Assessment ranking. The study recommends the incorporation of Professional Teaching Standards into Initial Teacher Education programs; application of technology in teacher education and professional development; Programme for International Students Assessment examinations for initial teachers; and the need to develop professional standards purposely for educational administrators and managers.