Teacher Education has been in the spotlight around the globe as the demands on education in the 21^st century increase. The three countries, participating in this symposium have both commonalities and differences with respect to socio-political contexts, addressing the needs of the 21^st century, and in a commitment to enabling teacher agency. All three countries express a commitment to democratic goals and towards democracy. We propose that there is a strong link between democratic principles and the enabling of teacher agency, building on an ecological theory of agency (Priestley, Biesta & Robinson, 2013). The research question explores the interrelationship between professional development and teacher agency.

Educational reform in India over the last few decades has included a concerted focus on physical and social access to schooling, developing alternative text materials and the training of teachers. Issues of equity, inclusion and exclusion, learner diversity, religious identity and communalism have been at the centre of curriculum debates that followed. The National Curriculum Framework (NCF), 2005 took the historic step of re-establishing the close relationship between school and society and the central role of education in enabling social transformation. Scholars have argued that the current practice of teacher education is at odds with the proposed NCF pedagogic process that seeks to involve teachers in a dialogical and egalitarian relationship with their students (Batra, 2005).

 Basic education, and by implication teacher education in Canada is a responsibility of the provinces and territories rather than of the federal government. In Alberta the teaching quality standard (Ministerial order #016/97) applies to all teachers for interim certification (IC) and permanent certification (PC). The standards include the knowledge, skills and attributes (KSAs) that must be demonstrated by newly graduated teachers (IC) and a teacher with professional experience (PC). There are 17 KSAs listed for interim certification and range from understanding the importance of respecting students’ human dignity and knowing how to build professional relationships with students to understanding the purposes of short, medium and long range planning and know how to translate curriculum into learning opportunities for students.

In SA the hope with the advent of the democratic era in 1994 was that all South Africans would have access to skills and knowledge which would enable full participation in the country’s economic development. An approach to curriculum and teacher development which exhibited complexity was initiated in 1998. However two stumbling blocks were evident, firstly not enough attention was given to the development of teachers, and secondly, no sooner were problems encountered than we reverted to a less complex and more prescriptive policy (see Dada et al, 2009). New initiatives in teacher education propose the engagement of teachers with 21^st Century skills and a commitment towards democracy.

The tension between regulation and freedom theorised by Kuiper and Berkvens (2013) is evident across all systems. In this symposium we investigate role of teacher agency in this tension. The construct of teacher agency is defined here as the way in which teachers critically shape their responses to problematic situations (Biesta and Tedder, 2006). We propose that the extent to which this balancing act incorporates the teacher as agent of change, the more likely the education system will reflect these principles.

Both previous and current surveys engage teacher educators responsible for teacher education with views on the implementation of new policy. The three country presentations reflect on new policy documents, the balance between regulation and freedom and the role of teachers as agents of change.

Batra, P. (2009). Teacher Empowerment: The Education Entitlement-Social Transformation Traverse. Education Dialogue. Volume 6. No 2. Spring 2009. Biesta, G.J.J & Tedder, M. (2006). How is agency possible? Towards an ecological understanding of agency-as-achievement. Working paper 5. Exeter: The Learning Lives project. Dada, F., Dipholo, T., Hoadley, U., Khembo, E., Muller, S., & Volmink, J. 2009. Report of the task team for the review of the implementation of the National Curriculum Statement. Retrieved from: http://www.education.gov.za (accessed 6 October 2014). Davis, B. & E. Simmt. (2006). Mathematics-for-teaching: An Kuiper, W., & Berkvens, J. (eds.) (2013). Balancing curriculum regulation and freedom across Europe. CIDREE Yearbook 2013. Enschede: SLO.