The quality of teaching and learning is of crucial importance in today’s educational landscape. One key aspect that is often neglected is the professionalism of teacher trainers, especially in the field of CPD. The publication “Vielfalt mit System – Qualifizierung von Fortbildungspersonal” by Dieter Schoof Wetzig and Dietlinde H. Vanier investigates the challenges and approaches to the qualification of teacher trainers in Germany. Their research highlights significant challenges, such as the lack of standardization and transparency in CPD across different federal states. This article is not only important for understanding the nuances of teacher training in Germany but can also be applied at a European level. Since many European countries struggle with the same issues, the insights gained from this research underscore the need for guidelines and frameworks to enhance the quality of CPD across Europe.
The importance of professionalization
The authors emphasize that the professionalism of training staff is one of the most important factors influencing the design of effective teaching and learning processes. Despite this fact, there is only limited reliable data in CPD research that could guarantee systematic quality assurance. As a result, good standards for CPD are often only interpreted subjectively.
Challenges of CPD
A central problem that the authors address is the lack of transparency and standardisation when it comes to the selection and qualification of teacher trainers. Different federal states in Germany pursue different approaches, which lead to a variety of qualification measures that are not always based on common standards. This makes it difficult to develop uniform quality quality assurance and leads to inconsistent practice.
Approaches to quality development
As part of their study, the authors analysed various qualification approaches from several federal states in Germany. They found out that all of them offer programs to qualify their trainers. However, these programs vary in terms of content, structure and evaluation methods.
This diversity of the qualification programs is reflected in the different educational landscapes and needs of the federal states. Each federal state pursues its own priorities and strategies in order to meet the specific requirements and challenges. While some programs focus strongly on theory, others focus on practical application and experience.
A notable example for a successful approach comes from Rhineland-Palatinate, where there is a close network of all school advisors and teacher trainers. Here is promoted a common understanding of tasks and activities, which considerably increases the quality of CPD. On the other hand, in Hamburg the focus is on failing schools. They are offered specific training measures to help these schools in a targeted manner e.g. modules that deal with strategic leadership, understanding-oriented planning and supporting school development processes.
The examples show that the structure of the programs varies considerably. While some federal states offer modular systems that allow participants to combine content flexibly, others rely on fixed curricula with strict guidelines. The evaluation methods differ as well: some federal states put the emphasis on continuous feedback and reflection, while in others a single final assessment is sufficient.
Best practices and recommendations
The authors present various examples of good practice from the federal states that show how different approaches in order to train teacher trainers can be successfully implemented. These examples make clear that systematic and standardised qualification is necessary to ensure the quality of CPD in the long term.
A key point emphasised by the authors is the need for a transnational agreement in Germany on common standards for the qualification of teacher trainers. This is the only way to overcome the lack of transparency in the CPD system and improve the overall quality of education.
Conclusion and outlook
The qualification of teacher trainers is a complex topic that requires careful analysis. The text by Schoof-Wetzig and Vanier provides valuable insights into the challenges and approaches to professionalisation in this area. In order to ensure the quality of CPD in the long term, it is essential to develop common standards and promote cooperation between the federal states. But the challenge that Germany is facing is the same in Europe: the lack of standardisation that hinders the effective implementation of CPD. As our FOOTT PRINTTS project found out, many European countries have their own approaches to teacher training and the need for a cohesive framework becomes more and more apparent. With our framework and guidelines that we are providing, we aim to address these challenges collectively and foster a more integrated and effective system of teacher training in Europe. This is the only way to combine diversity in CPD with a clear system that improves the overall quality of education.
source: https://www.pedocs.de/volltexte/2025/32273/pdf/Daschner_SchoofWetzig_2025_Weissbuch_Lehrkraeftefortbildung.pdf p. 78-100
