Teachers are one of the key factors of the efficiency of school teaching and learning, i.e. the efficiency of educational systems as a whole. The improvemet of teacher education quality is therefore one of the top priorities of educational policies of developed countries as well as of those undergoing the process of extensive political, economic and social changes. Regardless of the numerous national differences, the development and expansion of the European Union have led to the process of harmonization in the development of teacher education systems. In this paper general development trends of teacher education systems in Europe are presented, including the current changes in both subsystems – teacher initial education as well as teacher continuing professional development. The trends described concern the education of prospective as well as teachers already employed in primary and secondary education. Also presented is the teacher education system of the Republic of Croatia, analyzed in comparison with the systems of other European countries, whereupon main challenges and problems of Croatian teacher education system have been identified.

Psihologija,Odgojne znanosti