ABSTRACT
Ongoing technological progress and innovation has brought unmatched changes in many aspects of our lives. Few would disagree with the argument that one of the most prominent changes is the social connectedness among communities across the globe. These links have increased overall expectations of educational systems worldwide and have led to numerous calls for educational reform with the objective of keeping up with the fast-paced changes in participatory citizenship requirements and work force needs. However, regardless of geographical location, educational paradigm, and curriculum framework, the teacher remains the most influential contributor to the success of any academic program (Goe, 2007; Kaplan & Owings, 2001; Rice, 2003). This emphasis on the importance of the teacher has been affirmed by numerous research studies with an extensive review of educational meta-analyses revealing that among various school-factors, teacher quality accounts for the highest variance in students’ achievement levels (Hattie, 2013). Such findings about the impact of teacher quality on students’ learning and performance support the need for a stronger focus on preparing high-quality teachers for high-impact student learning and performance.
