Coherence and fragmentation: Global influences on Nordic and East Asian teacher policies

We investigated patterns of teacher policy reforms in eight countries – Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden in the Nordic group and Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan in East Asia. Using the Reforms Finder of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the World Education Reform Database (WERD) to identify teacher-related reforms, we found all nations focused on the improvement of teacher quality as a common vision for education, but no nation implemented a “coherent” set of policies that addressed all phases of teacher professional trajectories. Some regional effects in policy emphasis with regard to education, certification, working conditions and long-term professional development were noted.