Similar Routes but Different Paths: Teacher Preparation, Teacher Quantity and Quality in the U.S. and Taiwan

Author: Yuanher Robin Hwang(Graduate Institute of Curriculum and Instruction, MingDao University),Bih-Jen Fwu(Center for Teacher Education, National Taiwan University)

Vol.&No.：Vol. 54, No. 4
Date：December 2009
Pages：171-200
DOI：10.3966/2073753X2009125404007

Abstract：

Under the influence of globalization, the focus of comparative education has shifted from the traditional approach of comparing national systems or practices between countries to a more in-depth perspective of the underling socio-cultural contexts of the systems or practices. This study compares the historical development of teacher training institutions as well as teacher quantity and quality in two countries of interest, the United States and Taiwan, with stress on the socio-cultural frameworks that shape their teachers. The results show that the historical development of American and Taiwanese teacher training institutions has followed a similar route, but teacher quantity and quality between these two countries have been quite different. The US has long suffered serious teacher shortage and poor teacher quality, whereas Taiwan has successfully recruited and retained enough quality teachers. While meager salary and low social status of teachers in the US may have led to teacher shortage and poor teacher quality, the relative high salary and social status in Taiwan may have successfully attracted enough high quality teachers. Social cultural contexts of these two countries probably have contributed to the significant different incentives to attract quality teachers.

Keywords：social status, teacher education, teacher shortage, teacher quality, teacher salary

《Full Text》