Teacher Education In Australia Research Articles

Decolonising practice in teacher education in Australia: Reflections of shared leadership

Decolonising practice in teacher education in Australia: Reflections of shared leadership

“Are we there yet?” 25 years of reform (and reform, and reform, and reform) of teacher education in Australia

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the reform of initial teacher education (ITE) policy in Australia over a 25-year period from 1998 to 2023. It examines policy shifts and movements over this timeframe and aims to better understand the ongoing reforms in the changing contexts of their times.Design/methodology/approachThe paper engages a critical policy historiography approach, focusing on four “policy moments” each linked to a review commissioned by the Commonwealth government of the day. It draws upon the reports and government responses themselves, along with media reports, extracts from Hansard, and ministerial speeches, press releases and interviews related to each of the four policy moments, asking critical questions about the “public issues” and “private troubles” (Gale, 2001) of each moment and aiming to shed light on the complexities of these accounts of policy and the trajectory they represent.FindingsThe paper charts the construction of the problem of ITE in Australia over time, highlighting the discursive continuities and shifts since 1998. It traces the constitution of both policy problems and solutions to explain the current policy settlement using a historical lens.Originality/valueIts value lies in offering a reading of the current policy settlement, based on a close and systematic historical analysis. Where previous research has focused either on particular moments or concepts in ITE reform, this analysis seeks to understand the current policy settlement by taking a longer, contextualised view.

Teaching Strategy in Early Childhood Education: Child-Friendly Classroom Management to Anticipate Bullying Behaviours

Bullying behaviour can have a negative impact on a child's physical and psychological health. Bullying in the classroom is a challenge for early-childhood educators. Preschool is the first place outside the home where children face social challenges when interacting with their classmates. Child-Friendly Class is the first step and part of the Children Friendly School (CSF) as a UNICEF program and an important Indonesian government policy to prevent the emergence of child bullying behaviour. This study aims to identify needs in the process of developing a Child-Friendly Classroom Management model to anticipate bullying behaviour. This research and development method uses an adaptation of the Rowntree model which includes three stages of the process and data collection techniques using interviews, questionnaires, and observation. The results of this study indicate that the preparation of an effective classroom management guidebook to create child-friendly classes needs to be followed up immediately. Several findings related to teachers' perceptions of classroom management, and child-friendly classes prove that child-friendly classes have not been implemented properly in PAUD institutions, with bullying behaviour still appearing in early childhood in PAUD institutions. PAUD teachers understand that it is important to implement classroom management but so far there has been no manual on how to manage effective classrooms as well as training related to the implementation of effective classroom management. The creation of child-friendly classes is believed to be able to help teachers suppress the emergence of bullying behaviour in early childhood.
 Keywords: Child-Friendly Classroom Management, Bullying Prevention, Early Childhood Education

It’s all just a little bit of history repeating: 40 years of political review and reform in teacher education

ABSTRACT There have been at least 100 governmental inquiries into teacher education in Australia since the 1970s, making thousands of recommendations, the majority of which have never been fully actioned or realised. Additionally, there is minimal evidence about the efficacy of this continuous review cycle. Here, we problematise these issues by conducting a comparative analysis of the Bassett report, Review of Teacher Education in Queensland, the first review of independent teacher education in Australia conducted in 1978, and the most recent review by the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group, Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers. Applying discourse analysis techniques associated with Foucauldian archaeology, findings reveal: a self-referential use of policy is accelerating; those involved are less likely to have knowledge of the discipline of education; similarities in the discourses despite the 40-year timeframe; and increased marginalisation of teacher educators. In the light of these findings, the authors highlight the need for teacher educators to be politically savvy about the mythologising and canonising of allowable problems in teacher education. Teacher educators need to challenge policy and enter the public sphere in doing so.

Probing the gap between policy and practice in initial early childhood teacher education in australia in relation to education for sustainability

ABSTRACT Unsustainable living is a critical challenge for all sectors of society. While many universities promote sustainability by supporting campus resource efficiency and sustainability-focused research, these approaches fail to harness the full power of higher education. We argue that Education for Sustainability (EfS) should be at the heart of higher education’s sustainability commitments. This study examined the anecdotal view that initial early childhood teacher education (IECTE) in universities has been slow to embed EfS. A review was undertaken of 41 university websites, their online program materials for Education faculties/schools/departments, and IECTE materials at program and subject level, together with a deeper investigation of the policy and promotional documents of three selected institutions. We analysed the extent to which university policy reflects enunciated practice when it comes to embedding sustainability into IECTE programs. We believe that elevating EfS in IECTE may encourage greater systems-wide action within the broader early childhood education field, as opposed to the adhoc approaches that currently apply. Such a strategic measure offers the possibility for ECEfS to contribute more effectively to positive intergenerational impacts related to sustainability.

Toward a framework for assessing the ‘global’ and ‘citizen’ in global citizenship education in Australia and beyond

ABSTRACT In addition to its influences across economic, geopolitical, and social spheres, globalization has given rise to the notion of a ‘global citizen’ who is able to understand a shifting and more internationalized world while moving fluidly through it. Education has been trumpeted as the means to achieve this globally-aware citizenry, leading to an entire field of global citizenship education (GCE). Here teachers are the linchpin, yet understandings of globally-focused coursework in teacher education remain underdeveloped. This paper explores the ‘global’ within core courses in initial teacher education in Australia and interrogates the kinds of ‘citizens’ to be cultivated. We begin in our pilot study by canvassing university courses across Australian Group of Eight universities, and locating more global aspects of the courses, where available. Based on initial findings, we offer a dual-axis conceptual framework for guiding an ‘alternative future’ for GCE within teacher education. We then use the framework in a focused coding of one teacher education syllabus as an exemplar of its potential utility for examining the ways in which future teachers are encouraged, or not, to engage with broader geopolitical, sociocultural, and economic forces of globalization in the PreK-12 schools in which they will eventually teach.

Professionalism and teacher education in Australia and England

ABSTRACT In the past decade, notions of teacher professionalism have been associated with increased accountability, standards, performance assessments, and teacher testing, and impacted by alternative pathways into the profession that downplays professional education and foreground subject content knowledge expertise and opportunity to learn on the job. This paper examines the relationship between teacher professionalism and teacher education in Australia and England. It analyses the ways in which professionalism is constructed in teacher education policy and related directives in each country. We argue that professionalism in these countries is being (re)constructed through performance management, standards and increased accountability as managerial professionalism. Teacher education policies fail to acknowledge the importance of preparing research literate teachers and teacher-researchers. They also fail to capitalise on opportunities for teacher education research to inform evidence requirements for accountability purposes. In these ways, teacher education policies in Australia and England are de-professionalising teachers and teacher educators.

Critical SFL praxis in teacher education: insights from Australian SFL scholars

To acknowledge the lasting and increasing influence of Halliday’s theory of systemic functional linguistics (SFL) on teacher education, this article outlines Critical SFL Praxis (CSFLP) in teacher education as an activist effort in research and practice. Informed by systemic functional linguistics, the critical approach seeks to push back against minoritization of multilingual youth in schools and communities. Profiling the socio-historical background of SFL-based pedagogy in teacher education in Australia, the authors of this article conducted interviews with four SFL scholars and teacher educators from Australia who were greatly influenced by Michael Halliday and his theory of social semiotics. After a brief definition of CSFLP, we present the findings of our qualitative analysis of the interview with the four Australian SFL scholars. These findings illustrate the historical tensions, challenges, and opportunities in enacting CSFLP and point toward key affordances of the theory for teachers and teacher education.

Professional standing of the replacement teacher in the education community: a country region's perspective

As Australian schools move towards the twenty-frrst century more attention is being drawn to the professionalism of teachers. This has led to the recent publication of two NBEET reports, Teacher Education in Australia (September 1990) and Australia's Teachers: A Blueprint for the 90's (January 1991). These reports recognise the need for a reconceptualisation and urgent action in regards to the initial training and continuing education of Australia's teachers. Each goes into considerable detail about the need, scope and format of programs of professional development, and each highlights the importance of Employer/Higher Education Institution co-operation in such programs.
 The La Trobe University College of Northern Victoria and the Bendigo Regional Office of the Victorian Ministry of Education are in the process of developing this co-operation, especially in the post initial teacher education area. Through the Research Centre for Teacher Development at the La Trobe University College of Northern Victoria, a project is underway to develop this process in close consultation with, and the full co-operation of the Loddon Campaspe Mallee Regional Office. This paper reports on the initial outcome.
 Fifty-eight Primary Replacement Teachers (RTs) responded to a questionnaire regarding their employment status, professional qualifications, days worked in 1989 and 1990, and their in-service involvement and in-service needs. The investigation was undertaken in order to provide local Ministry and University College personnel with information to assist in planning future in-service needs for this particular group of teachers.
 In Victoria during 1990 the Ministry employed 40,000 teachers in primary, secondary and special schools. There is constantly a pool of 10,000 teachers on leave without pay from the Ministry. During the 1989-90 financial year 14,000 teachers were employed as Replacement Teachers in primary and secondary schools. Some of these Replacement Teachers came from the pool of teachers on leave without pay, but there is still a large group of teachers whose only source of employment is RT work.

Online initial teacher education: a systematic review of the literature

ABSTRACT This paper presents a systematic review of the literature on online initial teacher education. This review is timely given the growing numbers of online students studying teacher education in Australia and beyond. The paper begins with a presentation of the search protocol including search terms, databases, and inclusion/exclusion criteria that resulted in 492 refereed articles being included in the review. Analysis of title and abstract of these articles allowed insight into a variety of factors and trends, including journal of publication, year of publication, research approach, and key focal areas. Two well-established research focal areas emerged: technological pedagogical innovations and student experiences of studying teacher education online. Two emerging research focal areas were teacher educator experiences of teaching online and online teacher education in traditionally experiential specialisations, such as drama and outdoor education. When all the articles are considered holistically, a fragmented and siloed research approach is revealed, evidenced by a large number of journals publishing articles on multiple focal areas, leading to considerable repetition among the evidences presented across the articles. As such, this paper highlights the need for a more coherent and organised approach to research in online teacher education and its dissemination to all stakeholders.

Online Initial Teacher Education in Australia: Affordances for Pedagogy, Practice and Outcomes

This paper reports on interviews with 19 senior teacher educators from 18 universities across Australia who offer fully online courses in initial teacher education (ITE). Teacher educators provided insight into four focus areas related to online ITE: 1) institutional practices; 2) affordances; 3) challenges; and 4) research priorities. Analysis revealed teacher educators perceived that online ITE can not only match on campus delivery but is also able to respond to reform agendas in ITE, including attracting students with attributes and characteristics that are likely to see them succeed as teachers, enabling students to experience contemporary approaches to learning, building strong partnerships between schools and universities, and helping address teacher shortages in rural/regional areas.

Work done in the margins: A comparative study of mental health literacy in pre‐service teacher education in Australia and in Scotland

Ensuring pre‐service teachers have strong mental health literacy is vital for progress towards an inclusive, effective education system; yet little is known about how pre‐service teachers are prepared for practice with school students who present with poor mental health. The original, internationally comparative small‐scale (N = 24) qualitative study reported here compared current mental health literacy provision to pre‐service teacher education students in Scotland and Australia. Semi‐structured telephone interviews with teacher educators who delivered mental health content divulged highly variable, often ad‐hoc mental health literacy provision; a concern, given the prevalence of poor mental health affecting children and young people in schools. Thematic data analysis revealed striking commonalities among issues raised by participants from both countries, highlighting the need for urgent improvement in the provision of mental health literacy to pre‐service teachers. Results suggest the possibility of strategically developing a joint Australian‐Scottish mental health component suitable for delivery in both countries.

Re-viewing quality of research on initial teacher education in Australia and New Zealand: a systematic review

ABSTRACTFor over three decades, the discourse of quality has permeated the field of research, and there has been increasing policy interest for research assessment. In light of three conceptual perspectives and relying on a systematic literature review, this paper explores four non-traditional dimensions of criteria for assessing the quality of research on initial teacher education (ITE). The four dimensions are: innovative research questions; use for practice; research capacity building; and contribution to platforms and protocols. Covering empirical ITE research articles of Australia and New Zealand from January 2005 to October 2017, the review reveals that the majority of the articles meet most of the new criteria, which shows a different picture to that viewed through the traditional lens of research quality. The review is not intended to provide a ready-to-use framework for quality assessment of research on ITE but to exemplify the possibility that a long-contemplated, unconventional perspective on quality of research on ITE can be operationalised.

A dialogue about teacher agency: Australian and Chinese perspectives

Agency is emerging as a key concept, as part of increased debates about rigid accountability in measures of teacher effectiveness. However, the construct is elusive. Combining scholarship from Australian and Chinese scholars this research review undertook to create a dialogic space within which a geo-political position could be argued. Given recently introduced professional standards in China that shadow existing governance of teacher education in Australia, the findings indicate commonality in disparate contexts. We investigated how agency played out in the dynamic interplay of technologies of power and discovered the importance of exploring and representing teachers' work in an ecological framework.

Australian teacher education: inside-out, outside-in, backwards and forwards?

Teacher Education in Australia seems to be in a dynamic and constant cycle of review and change. Policy governing teacher education has also been eminently changeable and dynamic. To some extent this stems from three year terms for governments where a short term and expedient political view is taken. There has also been ongoing centre-periphery tension between the Commonwealth government and the State governments regarding regulation and accreditation of teacher education programmes with there now being regulatory bodies at both national (Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership – AITSL) and state levels. Despite all of this, teacher education is still the butt of ongoing criticism and investigation and is now more highly regulated than ever. Since teacher education occurs within a university context, with the exception of that which is offered through some private providers or some Technical and Further Education (TAFE) providers, it is also at the whim of government funding policies impacting universities generally.

THE FUTURE OF TEACHER EDUCATION: REFLECTIONS ON AN INNOVATION

This article is about teacher education reform. At the time of writing, teacher education (which is predominately the domain of universities in Australia), has undergone numerous critical reviews with little change effect. The teaching profession's struggles to cope with a changing world has been documented and an increasing push from Australian governments, at both the state and federal level for improved school outcomes are regular pieces in the national Australian press. A cadre of teacher education commentators call for a rethink on teacher education. This article showcases a disruptive model in teacher education and answers some of the ponderings around what teacher education could be and how it could be organised differently for the different world in which teachers now have to operate. More specifically, the article examines the Bachelor of Learning Management (BLM) which was developed at CentralQueenslandUniversityin2000andisstillinoperationtoday. TheBLMwas the first major revision and redevelopment of teacher education in Australia in twenty five years: this fact alone makes the BLM an interesting case study.

Policy reform: testing times for teacher education in Australia

ABSTRACTIn Australia as well as elsewhere, initial teacher education has become centre stage to a political agenda that calls for global competitiveness in the knowledge economy. The common problem cited has been declining educational standards linked with the quality of teaching and teacher education. The avalanche of review and policy reform has exposed teacher education to neoliberal demands as well as political and public scrutiny. A policy web of interconnected concerns related to selection, curriculum, professional practice, graduation as well as employment fuels current reforms.

Science Teacher Education in Australia: Initiatives and Challenges to Improve the Quality of Teaching

In this article, we describe how teachers in the Australian school system are educated to teach science and the different qualifications that teachers need to enter the profession. The latest comparisons of Australian students in international science assessments have brought about various accountability measures to improve the quality of science teachers at all levels. We discuss the issues and implications of government initiatives in preservice and early career teacher education programs, such as the implementation of national science curriculum, the stricter entry requirements to teacher education programs, an alternative pathway to teaching and the measure of effectiveness of teacher education programs. The politicized discussion and initiatives to improve the quality of science teacher education in Australia are still unfolding as we write in 2014.

Changes, Challenges, and Successes Facing Secondary Pre-service Teacher Education in Australia

Changes, Challenges, and Successes Facing Secondary Pre-service Teacher Education in Australia

Do Master early childhood teacher education programs provide adequate coverage of infants and toddlers?: A review of content

In Australia, growth in the demand of early childhood services for young children aged birth to three years has placed increased pressure on the early childhood education sector as new policy stipulates the need for qualified teachers. The new policy has resulted in a growth in Master of Early Childhood Education programs in Australian universities. These programs are designed as initial teacher education programs for people with a non-education Bachelor degree wanting to become a qualified early childhood teacher in 18 months. Little is known about the structure as well as the content of these new programs in their ability to address infants and toddler education. This paper explores 18 postgraduate Master education programs that were approved by the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) and listed on their website as at January 2014. Our aim is to examine programs for the amount of content and assessment that focuses on infants and toddlers. Utilising information from program websites and course guides, data was examined using content analysis to reveal the nature and extent of inclusion of learning, focused on infants and toddlers. Four interviews were also conducted with teacher educators. Findings are important for early childhood teacher education in Australia if the overall goal is to improve quality for all children, including the very youngest in education and care.