How do teacher educators use professional standards in their practice?

In many countries, the professional standards agenda in education continues to colonize teacher preparation through accreditation processes. This study investigates the lived experiences of teacher educators working within this increasingly accredited environment. Discourse analytic techniques determine the dominant discourses experienced by teacher educators regarding standards in their practice. These discourses are cross-analyzed with the relevant accreditation document and academic literature around standards. Findings reveal that teacher educators use standards developmentally but more predominantly in a compliant fashion with a degree of resistance. The authors recommend more productive uses of standards to enhance the quality of teacher education practices.