Initial teacher education in Japan and Spain. A comparative study

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to examine, from a comparative perspective, the initial teacher training systems in Spain and Japan. We will analyze the current design of teacher educational programs, from Infant level to Secondary level. The relevance of teacher performances has been endorsed by several studies, placing international attention on teachers’ training policies. The results show similar trends relating to programs’ structure and students’ selection. Nevertheless, there are many differences when analyzing duration, flexibility or accreditation, which could provided us with key elements to reflect upon our own educational context. Such reflections could contribute to the improvement of our teachers’ training systems, the promotion of theoretical and practical development on educational policies, and a higher quality of educational practices.