Quality Assurance and Accountability in Teacher Education: the Australian agenda?

Abstract

The restructuring of formal education in Australia continues apace. Driven by economic rationalism and reflecting the language, practices and strategies of management in business and industry, this restructuring, we are assured, is going to result in high‐quality education and teacher accountability. In our view, this rhetoric of quality assurance and accountability is being used to mask a deep and fundamental shift in both the focus of education to be provided in Australia and the roles of teachers and teacher educators. To lift this mask and expose the nature of this shift requires an examination of the context in which this restructuring is occurring, the use of the term ‘quality assurance’ and education in relation to government actions.