Understanding teacher quality through a teacher identity lens

What is meant by the term 'teacher quality'? This chapter introduces an Australian study titled ‘What's the Evidence?’ (WtE) which examines the use of the term in recent research and the way it has come to be framed in public discussion as a contentious and dichotomous term, without a clear evidence base. Without a shared understanding, use of the term teacher quality in relation to teachers’ work perpetuates confusion. This was the catalyst for the WtE investigation. Identity theory offers a nuanced approach that enables improved understanding of the complexities of who teachers are and the work they do. Therefore, the authors explain in this chapter the adoption of identity theory as the lens through which their research into teacher quality is interpreted. The conceptualisation of teacher identity is viewed as an ongoing and interconnected process, that begins in initial teacher education, extends through professional practice in the classroom, and continues through ongoing professional development. The chapter concludes with an overview of the book’s structure, outlining how each phase of the study contributes to resulting recommendations that lead to a rethinking of the concept of teacher quality in both policy and practice.