Standards in a system designed for the accreditation of higher education programs indicate the elements required for the higher education program to be deemed acceptable. Based on this definition, teacher education standards may be defined as the “minimum requirements for undergraduate programs designed to train qualified teachers.” 

EPDAD’s teacher education accreditation system is based on three groups of standards: initial standards, process standards, and product standards. These groups of standards fall into seven categories of standards: teaching, staff, students, cooperation, physical infrastructure, management, and quality assurance. The categorical distribution of these standards is given in Table 1.

Table 1: Categorical Distribution of Teacher Education Accreditation Standards

Initial Standards : The initial standards are those regarding the inputs required to train teachers to gain competence. In the event that the necessary resources are not available or it is not possible to meet the initial standards, prospective teachers cannot be expected to meet the product standards. Part of the responsibility for meeting the initial standards lies with the units that establish the principles and policies for teacher education (ensuring that the number and quality of faculty members are sufficient, providing the facilities and equipment, etc.). Another part of the responsibility falls on the Ministry of National Education (such as to make regulations regarding practice schools). The university and faculty are responsible for some of the initial standards, especially for the development of a suitable management and quality assurance system.

Process Standards : They indicate what needs to be done to ensure that prospective teachers have the required qualifications. For example, the educational program itself is an initial standard. Some examples of process standards include presenting the educational program, teaching the subjects in the educational program, and ensuring that prospective teachers have sufficient opportunities to acquire the knowledge and skills that they will need as newly-graduated teachers. In general, faculties and programs are responsible for achieving the process standards by ensuring that the inputs and resources are at a satisfactory level.

Product Standards: They indicate the level to be achieved as a result of the proper use of sufficient inputs through an appropriate process. The most important products are, naturally, the graduates who have achieved national standards, have started to work, and have become successful in educational activities. Such a product is also the ultimate goal of the teacher education system.

Chart 1: Teacher Education Accreditation Standards: Groups, Categories, and Explanations

Click here for EPDAD’s Standards for Undergraduate Programs in Teacher Education (Version 1.1) TR
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Click here for The Standards for Undergraduate Education in Guidance and Psychological Counseling (Version 1.0)