Partnerships As Levers in Teacher Education Policy

• In Event: Making Teachers, Making Knowledge: Professionalism, Partnerships, and the Politics of Evidence

Abstract

Internationally, establishing partnerships in education has become a hot topic in teacher education policy (TEP). While partnerships have long existed in various forms, their introduction as deliberate policy instruments in TEP marks a strategic shift. This paper explores partnerships as ‘policy levers’; instruments used by governments and affiliated agencies to direct, manage and shape change. Using a critical insider case study approach, we analyze how Norwegian authorities adopted partnerships as a lever to address persistent structural challenges in education. Drawing on data from a nationwide survey, documents, and interviews, we trace the trajectory of the strategy and the role of partnerships. We discuss the implications of a partnership-as-lever approach in TEP and the potential role of insider research in policy evaluation.

Authors

• Henning Fjørtoft, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

• Tine Sophie Prøitz, University of South-Eastern Norway

• Andreas Lund, University of Oslo