How do teachers develop into experts in teaching? How well do studies and preparatory service prepare them for the profession? These central questions of teacher (education) research were investigated in the COACTIV-expeRt project funded by the German Research Foundation. The aim was to investigate the long-term development of teachers’ professional competence and to identify resources for positive development as well as risk factors for unfavourable development. In addition, it was analysed how sustainable the professional competence acquired during studies and preparatory service predicts later success in the teaching profession. The data basis was the COACTIV teacher traineeship study, in which more than 800 teacher candidates were surveyed from 2007 to 2009 during their pre-service training on central aspects of professional competence, on characteristics of their personality and on the learning opportunities in the pre-service training. In several sub-studies, the aspects of professional competence and various indicators of professional success among these participants, who now have an average of 10 years of professional experience were investigated.

This study aims to investigate the long-term professionalisation of teachers and the development of their professional competence. In addition, the study examines indicators of professional success and attempts to identify resources for positive professional development as well as risk factors for rather unfavourable development of teachers.