Comparative Study of the Way in Which Teachers are Assigned to Schools Abroad

To find ways of improving the way in which Iranian teachers are assigned to schools abroad, a comparative study was conducted in order to look at way this task is done in the U.S., France, Germany, Canada, England, Russia, Australia, Turkey, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, in addition to Iran. Kandel method was used to identify criteria for sending teachers abroad in all above-mentioned countries, and then the Boolean method was utilized in order to categorize the common and the divergent criteria. The data was collected from the websites of the respective countries’ Departments of Education, where the latest guide for sending teachers abroad was published. Data analyses revealed a difference in the number of criteria used (Iran,13; other countries, 29). Final analyses show that successful programs were those using the following selection criteria: having at least a bachelor’s degree, passing the qualifying exam, competence in the use of computer, necessary software, and the Internet, passing the interview, and having clean bill of physical/mental health. The difference in criteria appeared in the following areas: being tenured, having at least three years of teaching experience, having a certificate of competency from credible academic authorities, as well as appropriate administrative portfolio. Based on these findings, it is suggested that the qualifying exam and interview be improved and having a personal webpage be required of all teachers wanting to be assigned to schools abroad.