”Teacher Education Policy Laboratory: A New Framework for Transforming Teacher Education Governance in Iran”

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Elementary Education, Chamran Campus, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran

2 Member of the Educational Sciences Department, Shahid Chamran, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Global developments in education, such as the spread of new technologies, artificial intelligence, problem-based learning, and the emergence of 21st century competencies, have highlighted the need for a fundamental review of teacher education policymaking. The main issue of this research is that teacher education policymaking in Iran, like many educational systems, lacks agile, learning, and evidence-based mechanisms. This research aims to explain the role of the "policy laboratory" in promoting teacher education policymaking and transforming it into an agile, learning, and future-oriented system. The research method is based on the analysis of global documents related to the future of teacher education and the examination of new policymaking models, including data analysis, scenario writing, and behavioral simulation.

The findings show that the policy lab can transform the structure of teacher education through behavioral modeling and simulation to predict unintended consequences, designing diverse pathways, revising teacher education programs based on 21st century competencies, replacing traditional assessments with performance-based models and feedback, and continuous and personalized professional development. The research conclusion shows that the policy lab is able to transform teacher education policymaking from a slow and bureaucratic system to an agile, evidence-based system that is compatible with the future of education.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Ansell, C., & Bartenberger, M. (2016). “Varieties of Experimentalism”. Public Administration Review, 76(1).

Bason, C. (2019). “Leading Public Sector Innovation: Co Creating for a Better Society” (2nd ed.). Policy Press.

Boulton, Jean et al. (2022). “Embracing Complexity in Policy Design”. Routledge.

Bryk, Anthony S., Gomez, Louis M., Grunow, Alicia & LeMahieu, Paul (2021). “Learning to Improve: How America’s Schools Can Get Better at Getting Better”. Harvard Education.

Coburn, C. E., & Penuel, W. R. (2016). “Research–Practice Partnerships in Education.” Educational Researcher, 45(1).

Cochran‑Smith, M., Carney, M., Keefe, E., & et al. (2018). “Reclaiming Accountability in Teacher Education”. Teachers College Press.

Darling‑Hammond, L., Hyler, M., & Gardner, M. (2020). “Preparing Teachers for a Changing World”. Jossey‑Bass.

Darling-Hammond, L. (2017). “Teacher Education Around the World: What Can We Learn from International Practice?” European Journal of Teacher Education, 40(3).

Dunlop & Radaelli (2020). “Policy Learning and Failure”. Edward Elgar.

European Commission, JRC. (2022). “Policy Experimentation and Evaluation Toolkit”. Brussels.

Fullan, M., & Quinn, J. (2020). “The Right Drivers in Action for Schools, Systems, and Students”. Corwin.

Fullan, Michael & Scott, Joanne (2022). “Education Reimagined: The Future of Learning and Teaching”. Routledge.

Harvard Kennedy School (2021). “Behavioural Policy Design: Anticipating Human Responses”.

Honig, M. I. (2022). “Policy Implementation and the Value of Practitioner Knowledge”. Harvard Education Press.

Hooghe, L., & Marks, G. (2020). “A Theory of Multi‑Level Governance”. Rowman & Littlefield.

Howlett, M. (2022). “Designing Public Policies: Principles and Instruments”. Routledge.

Kimbell, L., & Bailey, J. (2022). “Labcraft: How Public Sector Innovation Labs Make Change Happen”. Policy Press.

Klijn, E.-H., & Koppenjan, J. (2023). “Governance Networks in the Public Sector”. Routledge.

McGann, M., Blomkamp, E., & Lewis, J. M. (2018). “The rise of public policy labs: Experiments in design thinking for public policy”. Policy Sciences.

Meijer, A., Grimmelikhuijsen, S., & Brandsma, G. (2021). “Open Government: Connecting Transparency and Participation”. Cambridge University.

Mintrom, M. (2021). Public Policy: “A Design Perspective”. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Nabatchi, T., & Leighninger, M. (2020). “Public Participation for 21st Century Democracy”. Wiley.

National Academies of Sciences (2022). “Next‑Generation Policy Modeling for Education Systems”. Washington, DC.

Nesta (2020). “A Field Guide to Policy Experimentation”. Nesta UK.

Nesta. (2022). “People‑Powered Policy Design: A Guide to Co‑Design in Public Services”. London: Nesta.

Nesta. (2019). “Prototyping Public Services: A Practical Guide”. Londan: Nesta.

OECD. (2020). “Embracing Innovation in Government: Global Trends 2020”. “Observatory of  Public Sector Innovation”.

OECD. (2023). “Futures and Foresight for Public Policy: A Practitioner’s Guide. OECD Publishing”.

OECD. (2021). “Initial Teacher Preparation: Digital‑Ready Teachers”. OECD Publishing.

OECD (2022). “Policy Evaluation and Risk Anticipation”. OECD Publishing.

OECD (2024). “Regulatory Experimentation: Moving Ahead on the Agile Regulatory Governance Agenda”. OECD Public Governance Policy Papers, No. 47.

Peters, B. G. (2020). “Governance, Politics and the State”. Palgrave Macmillan.

Peters, B. Guy (2021). “Policy Problems and Policy Design”. Edward Elgar.

Ringland, Gill (2023). “Scenario Planning for the Future of Public Policy”. Springer.

Sabel, C. F., & Zeitlin, J. (2012). “Experimentalist Governance”. In D. Levi-Faur (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Governance. Oxford University.

Sahlberg, Pasi (2021). “Finnished Leadership: Future‑Focused Teacher Education”. Corwin.

Saltelli, Andrea et al. (2020). “Quantitative Storytelling in Policy”. Nature Food.

Sanderson, Ian (2020). “Intelligent Policy Making: The Role of Evidence and Learning”. Bristol: Policy Press.

Schleicher, A. (2018). “World Class: How to Build a 21st-Century School System”. OECD Publishing.

UNESCO. (2017). “Accountability in Education: Meeting Our Commitments”. Global Education Monitoring Report.

UNESCO (2023). “Reimagining Teacher Education for the Future of Learning”. Paris: UNESCO.

United Nations University (UNU‑MERIT) (2021). “Policy Labs as Engines of Institutional Memory”.

Voros, Joseph (2017). “Foresight and Scenario Planning.” In The Handbook of Anticipation. Springer.

References

 
Ansell, C., & Bartenberger, M. (2016). “Varieties of Experimentalism”. Public Administration Review, 76(1).
Bason, C. (2019). “Leading Public Sector Innovation: Co Creating for a Better Society” (2nd ed.). Policy Press.
Boulton, Jean et al. (2022). “Embracing Complexity in Policy Design”. Routledge.
Bryk, Anthony S., Gomez, Louis M., Grunow, Alicia & LeMahieu, Paul (2021). “Learning to Improve: How America’s Schools Can Get Better at Getting Better”. Harvard Education.
Coburn, C. E., & Penuel, W. R. (2016). “Research–Practice Partnerships in Education.” Educational Researcher, 45(1).
Cochran‑Smith, M., Carney, M., Keefe, E., & et al. (2018). “Reclaiming Accountability in Teacher Education”. Teachers College Press.
Darling‑Hammond, L., Hyler, M., & Gardner, M. (2020). “Preparing Teachers for a Changing World”. Jossey‑Bass.
Darling-Hammond, L. (2017). “Teacher Education Around the World: What Can We Learn from International Practice?” European Journal of Teacher Education, 40(3).
Dunlop & Radaelli (2020). “Policy Learning and Failure”. Edward Elgar.
European Commission, JRC. (2022). “Policy Experimentation and Evaluation Toolkit”. Brussels.
Fullan, M., & Quinn, J. (2020). “The Right Drivers in Action for Schools, Systems, and Students”. Corwin.
Fullan, Michael & Scott, Joanne (2022). “Education Reimagined: The Future of Learning and Teaching”. Routledge.
Harvard Kennedy School (2021). “Behavioural Policy Design: Anticipating Human Responses”.
Honig, M. I. (2022). “Policy Implementation and the Value of Practitioner Knowledge”. Harvard Education Press.
Hooghe, L., & Marks, G. (2020). “A Theory of Multi‑Level Governance”. Rowman & Littlefield.
Howlett, M. (2022). “Designing Public Policies: Principles and Instruments”. Routledge.
Kimbell, L., & Bailey, J. (2022). “Labcraft: How Public Sector Innovation Labs Make Change Happen”. Policy Press.
Klijn, E.-H., & Koppenjan, J. (2023). “Governance Networks in the Public Sector”. Routledge.
McGann, M., Blomkamp, E., & Lewis, J. M. (2018). “The rise of public policy labs: Experiments in design thinking for public policy”. Policy Sciences.
Meijer, A., Grimmelikhuijsen, S., & Brandsma, G. (2021). “Open Government: Connecting Transparency and Participation”. Cambridge University.
Mintrom, M. (2021). Public Policy: “A Design Perspective”. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Nabatchi, T., & Leighninger, M. (2020). “Public Participation for 21st Century Democracy”. Wiley.
National Academies of Sciences (2022). “Next‑Generation Policy Modeling for Education Systems”. Washington, DC.
Nesta (2020). “A Field Guide to Policy Experimentation”. Nesta UK.
Nesta. (2022). “People‑Powered Policy Design: A Guide to Co‑Design in Public Services”. London: Nesta.
Nesta. (2019). “Prototyping Public Services: A Practical Guide”. Londan: Nesta.
OECD. (2020). “Embracing Innovation in Government: Global Trends 2020”. “Observatory of  Public Sector Innovation”.
OECD. (2023). “Futures and Foresight for Public Policy: A Practitioner’s Guide. OECD Publishing”.
OECD. (2021). “Initial Teacher Preparation: Digital‑Ready Teachers”. OECD Publishing.
OECD (2022). “Policy Evaluation and Risk Anticipation”. OECD Publishing.
OECD (2024). “Regulatory Experimentation: Moving Ahead on the Agile Regulatory Governance Agenda”. OECD Public Governance Policy Papers, No. 47.
Peters, B. G. (2020). “Governance, Politics and the State”. Palgrave Macmillan.
Peters, B. Guy (2021). “Policy Problems and Policy Design”. Edward Elgar.
Ringland, Gill (2023). “Scenario Planning for the Future of Public Policy”. Springer.
Sabel, C. F., & Zeitlin, J. (2012). “Experimentalist Governance”. In D. Levi-Faur (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Governance. Oxford University.
Sahlberg, Pasi (2021). “Finnished Leadership: Future‑Focused Teacher Education”. Corwin.
Saltelli, Andrea et al. (2020). “Quantitative Storytelling in Policy”. Nature Food.
Sanderson, Ian (2020). “Intelligent Policy Making: The Role of Evidence and Learning”. Bristol: Policy Press.
Schleicher, A. (2018). “World Class: How to Build a 21st-Century School System”. OECD Publishing.
UNESCO. (2017). “Accountability in Education: Meeting Our Commitments”. Global Education Monitoring Report.
UNESCO (2023). “Reimagining Teacher Education for the Future of Learning”. Paris: UNESCO.
United Nations University (UNU‑MERIT) (2021). “Policy Labs as Engines of Institutional Memory”.
Voros, Joseph (2017). “Foresight and Scenario Planning.” In The Handbook of Anticipation. Springer.
Teacher Education Policy
Volume 8, Issue 1
April 2026
Pages 42-17

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History

  • Receive Date: 28 September 2025
  • Revise Date: 11 November 2025
  • Accept Date: 26 November 2025

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