Policy driven reforms and the role of teacher educators in reframing teacher education in the 21st century
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that teacher educators must work towards shaping the current and future agendas in order to professionalise teacher education and frame the teacher education system in the 21st century.
Abstract: The current policy moment for teacher education in Australia is calling into question the value of teacher education as it is currently practised, proposing alternative pathways into teaching and at the same time tightening outcomes with statements of professional standards for teachers and input measures as part of teacher education regulation. Many features of this current policy moment have the potential to deprofessionalise teacher education and the profession. I argue that teacher educators must work towards shaping the current and future agendas in order to professionalise teacher education and frame the teacher education system in the 21st century. To do that we need to address some of the key questions being asked of us, such as: What is the value of teacher education? What should beginning teachers know and be able to do? How can judgements be made about what beginning teachers know and are able to do? I think we must ensure research- informed and practice-validated professional standards for teaching at various junctures in the teaching career, but specifically for beginning teaching, that capture the complexity and context specific nature of quality teaching and professional judgement. In addition, authentic assessment of beginning teaching that involves consideration of teacher professional judgment and student learning in a range of diverse contexts is an important consideration in re/framing the teacher education system of the 21st century. In conclusion, I argue teacher education research must respond to and inform the questions being asked of us in this policy moment about the value of teacher education.
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TL;DR: In Australia, the requirement for all initial teacher education programs in Australia to include a capstone teacher performance assessment (TPA) is relatively new. However, TPAs are common in other countries, such as New Zealand.
Abstract: The requirement for all Initial Teacher Education programs in Australia to include a capstone teacher performance assessment (TPA) is relatively new. However, TPAs are common in other countries, pa...
23 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report on the implementation of a Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA), a component of graduation recently introduced into the teaching workforce in Australia, and conclude that the TPA, as a threshold task, is broadly beneficial to the profession and graduating teachers, and may strengthen professional bonds between schools and universities.
Abstract: This paper reports on the implementation of a Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA), a component of graduation recently introduced into the teaching workforce in Australia. The TPA typically requires graduates to demonstrate that they can plan, implement, assess and reflect on a series of lessons given to school students. This case study used grounded theory to analyse the initial implementation of a TPA at an Australian university, based on interviews, student focus groups, and a classroom readiness survey. We investigated the TPA’s contribution to final-year pre-service teachers’ learning and professional readiness. We conclude that the TPA, as a threshold task, is broadly beneficial to the profession and graduating teachers, and may strengthen professional bonds between schools and universities. We also warn of TPA-related fragilities and its potential to reinforce populist notions of ‘teaching as telling’ and to test surface-level quizknowledge to the exclusion of deeper, attitudinal learning outcomes.
12 citations
Cites background from "Policy driven reforms and the role ..."
...For Mayer (2013), these are “anecdotally informed ‘teacher education is failing us’ headlines” (p. 9), while CochranSmith, Piazza, and Power (2013) regard with scepticism reports of a “lack of accountability and standardization of expectations” (p. 16) in teacher education....
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TL;DR: The mandated introduction of a teaching performance assessment (TPA) into initial teacher education programs in Australia is one of the numerous and continual reforms that have impacted those who w... as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: The mandated introduction of a teaching performance assessment (TPA) into initial teacher education programs in Australia is one of the numerous and continual reforms that have impacted those who w...
2 citations
01 Jan 2021
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present an overview of current issues governing the provision of teacher workforce, focusing on Australia and explore the problematics of the attractiveness of teaching from the viewpoint of those in other professions.
Abstract: This chapter sets forth the landscape of school education and classrooms of today. It presents an overview of current issues governing the provision of teacher workforce, focusing on Australia. More specifically, it explores the problematics of the attractiveness of teaching from the viewpoint of those in other professions. In doing so, it looks into current attempts to ‘gatekeep’ the profession through establishing more rigorous entry standards, and through increased regulation and accreditation, using Australia, and the state of New South Wales, as illustrative examples. It then considers the outcomes this added rigor might have for the attractiveness of the profession, particularly in terms of attracting those who can bring their life and work experiences to teaching, and to the management of schools. The chapter examines these dynamics in the context of current and predicted teacher shortages, particularly in some geographic, socioeconomic and subject areas.
2 citations
01 Jan 2020
TL;DR: The authors discusses the dynamic that drives many of the issues that are discussed in subsequent chapters: the perception and/or reality that Australian students are falling behind their international peers, leading to outcomes such as greater accountability from teachers and teacher educators, pressure for more content to be added to the curriculum.
Abstract: This chapter discusses the dynamic that drives many of the issues that are discussed in subsequent chapters: the perception and/or reality that Australian students are falling behind their international peers. This is leading to outcomes such as greater accountability from teachers and teacher educators, pressure for more content to be added to the curriculum. The chapter investigates to what extent and how current approaches are remedying the problem of positioning on international league tables. The chapter also visits some possible causes of less-than-optimal performance among Australian students at school, and implications of this for teachers’ day-to-day work.