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Given the intense politicisation of education, many teacher educators are caught in the cross-hairs of government's reform agendas, university expectations and student teacher needs. This paper reports on a study of 28 literacy teacher educators in four countries (Canada, US, Australia and England). This paper reports on the broad question: How is politics affecting literacy teacher educators? Three specific aspects are considered: their pedagogies, identity and well-being. It describes how their pedagogy (goals and teaching strategies) has narrowed because of mandated curriculum and exit exams. It shows how their identity as academics is being complicated because they often do not have time for their research. And their well-being is compromised because of excessive external inspections and as their community in the university splinters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper qualitative examines a holistic framework for teaching in the digital era. The examination is based on teachers' perspectives of their career, that is, what core features can be said to characterise teacher's practice, across contexts, cultures and subjects. Semi-structured interviews of expert teachers, specifically from Australia, Europe and the Latin-America, are the main data source. The design process sought to examine teachers' approaches to their professional definition and their agency to enact this, against a theoretically validated framework. Results indicated the emergence of three defining categories based on the validation and synthesis of the relationships between six elements in the theoretical model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the increasing cultural diversity of Australia's education settings and explicates the global education movement and the new Australian Early Years Learning Framework. It discusses the implication of these factors for early childhood education practice and early childhood teacher education. The key research question considered in this paper is what prior learnings do early childhood educators utilise to consider global education? Data are presented on a research project that explores the prior learning of pre-service early childhood educators at a major Australian university. The paper shows that, unlike primary and secondary pre-service teachers, most early childhood education pre-service teachers have significant professional experiences in educational settings. These prior experiences have a significant impact on pre-service early childhood educators' knowledge, beliefs and attitudes in the area of global education and align strongly with the global education curriculum movement and new national curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the findings of a four‐year study that seeks to understand the experiences and career pathways of Indigenous teachers in Australia. We present data obtained from in‐depth interviews with current and former teachers in order to provide a qualitative account of what lies behind demographic trends in Indigenous teacher recruitment and retention in Australia. The paper highlights the expectations of school and wider communities that Indigenous teachers will be ‘all things to all people’ and will fill a number of complex and sometimes conflicting roles within and beyond classrooms. We speculate that these expectations contribute to their decisions to resign from the school system to work elsewhere. We also introduce and problematise the notion of the Indigenous teacher as a category in the consciousness of teachers, administrators and other participants in the discourses of Australian schooling. We conclude by arguing the need for non‐Indigenous student‐teachers to be better prepared to work alongside Indigenous colleagues and to take more active roles in the implementation of policy and initiatives around Indigenous education. The paper also raises implications for the recruitment and retention of Indigenous teachers. Cet article présente des résultats d'une étude de quatre ans qui cherche à comprendre les expériences et les voies de carrière de professeurs indigènes en Australie. Le papier accentue les espérances des écoles et des communautés plus larges à l'égard de ces professeurs et de leurs fonctions et leurs rôles complexes et parfois contradictoires dans les salles de classe. Nous spéculons que ces espérances contribuent parfois à leurs décisions de démissionner du système scolaire pour travailler ailleurs. Nous présentons également et problématisons la notion du ‘professeur indigène’ comme catégorie dans la conscience des professeurs, des administrateurs et d'autres participants aux discours d'éducation australienne. En conclusion nous discutons le besoin des professeurs non‐indigènes d'être mieux disposés à travailler à côté des collègues indigènes et à mener un rôle plus actif dans l'exécution de la politique et des initiatives autour de l'éducation indigène. L'article soulève également des implications pour le recrutement et la préservation des professeurs indigènes dans le système. Este articulo da un reporte sobre los resultados de un estudio de cuatro años que intenta entender las experiencias y los caminos de la carrera de profesores indígenas en Australia. Presentamos los datos obtenidos de entrevistas profundizadas con los profesores actuales y anteriores para proporcionar una cuenta cualitativa de que hay detrás de tendencias demográficas en el reclutamiento indígena del profesor y de la retención en Australia. El articulo destaca las expectativas de la escuela y de comunidades más anchas que los profesores indígenas serán ‘la solución para todo’ y cumplirán un número de funciones diversas que a veces están en conflicto dentro y más allá de salas de clase. Especulamos que estas expectativas contribuyen a sus decisiones para renunciar del sistema escolar para trabajar a otra parte. También introducimos y problematise la noción del ‘profesor indígena’ como categoría en el sentido de profesores, administradores y otros participantes en los discursos de enseñar australiano. En concluisión proponemos la necesidad de los estudiantes de pedagogía no‐indígenas de ser preparado mejor para trabajar junto a colegas indígenas y para tomar papeles más activos en la práctica de la política y de las iniciativas de la educación indígena. El papel también levanta las implicaciones para el reclutamiento y la retención de profesores indígenas. Dieses papier berichtet über die entdeckungen einer vierjährlichen studie, die sucht, die erfahrungen und die karrierebahnen der eingeborenen Lehrer in Australien zu verstehen. Wir stellen die daten dar die von den eingehenden interviews mit den gegenwärtigen und ehemaligen Lehrern erhalten werden, um ein qualitatives konto, welcher Lügen hinter demographischen tendenzen in der eingeborenen lehrerverstärkung und zurückhalten in Australien zur verfügung zu stellen. Das papier hebt die erwartungen der schule und der breiteren Gemeinschaften hervor, daß eingeborene Lehrer `alle Sachen zu allen Leuten' sind und eine anzahl von komplex und manchmal kontroversen rollen innerhalb und über der klassenzimmer hinaus füllen. Wir spekulieren daß diese erwartungen zu ihren entscheidungen beitragen um vom schulsystem abzufinden um anderwohin zu arbeiten. Wir führen auch und problematise der Begriff von ‘der eingeborene Lehrer’ als kategorie im bewußtsein der lehrer ein, verwalter und andere teilnehmer an die darlegungen des australischen schulens. Wir folgern indem wir die notwendigkeit an den nicht‐eingeborenen kursteilnehmer‐lehrern argumentieren besser vorbereitet zu werden, neben eingeborenen kollegen zu arbeiten und aktivere rollen in der implementierung von politik und von initiativen um eingeborene Ausbildung zu nehmen. Das Papier wirft auch implikationen für die verstärkung und das zurückhalten der eingeborenen lehrer auf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In this paper the authors outline the concept of professional development as it pertains in the Australian context of education. Various models of and approaches to professional development of teachers are discussed, ranging from short sessions and courses to more extended models. The model adopted in Victoria, Australia through the Victorian Professional Development Network is addressed and an outline of the way modules of professional development may articulate into formal award bearing university courses is discussed. Following a major research study carried out in New South Wales by one of the authors, a new model for professional development is posited. This model portrays professional development as a dynamic and interactive process between three central elements in the professional development equation. Dans cet article, les auteurs expliquent le concept du développement professionnel tel qu'il existe dans le contexte de l'éducation en Australie. Des modèles et des approches variés concernant le développement professionnel des professeurs (ou des maîtres) sont discutés, en analysant aussi bien les stages courts que les stages plus longs. Le modèle adopté en Victoria, (Australie) par le Réseau Victorien du Développement Professionnel est examiné, et la façon dont les modules de développement professionnel peuvent se traduire en cours universitaires menant à un diplôme est discutée. A la suite d'une importante étude de recherche, faite dans le New South Wales par l'un des auteurs, un nouveau modèle pour le développement professionnel est présenté. Ce modèle représente le développement professionnel comme un processus dynamique et interactif entre trois éléments centraux dans l'équation du développement professionnel. En este artículo los autores explican el concepto del desarrollo profesional en el contexto australiano de la educación. Se discuten varios modelos y enfoques al desarrollo profesional de los profesores que abarcan desde pequeños cursos hasta módulos más extensos. Se describe el modelo adoptado en Victoria, Australia por la Red del Desarrollo Profesional de Victoria y se discute un resumen de la manera en que los modelos del desarrollo profesional pueden resultar en cursos universitarios con título. A raíz de un importante trabajo de investigación realizado por uno de estos autores en Nuevo Gales del Sur, se plantea un nuevo modelo para el desarrollo profesional. Este modelo presenta el desarrollo profesional como un proceso dinámico e interactivo entre los tres elementos centrales en la concepción del desarrollo profesional: los que facilitan el desarrollo profesional, las escuelas y los profesores. El modelo propuesto en este capítulo presenta el desarrollo profesional como asociación entre los tres grupos y no como algo que incumba únicamente a los profesores. In dieser Arbeit geben die Autoren einen Grundriss des Konzepts beruflicher Entwicklung, wie es im australischen Kontext von Erziehung anzutreffen ist. Verschiedene Muster und Wege der beruflichen Entwicklung von LehrerÏnnen werden unter Berücksichtigung von kurzen Einheiten und kurzen bis hin zu la längern Lehrgängen diskutiert. Angesprochen wird ein Modell, welches in Victoria, Australien durch das "Victorian Professional Development Network" angenommen wurde, desgleichen wird diskutiert, wie in Umrissen Module beruflicher Entwicklung in formale Universitätskurse mit Abschluss überführt werden könnten. Im Gefolge einer wichtigen Forschungsarbeit, die von einer der AutorInnen in Neusüdwales durchgeführt wurde, wird ein neuartiges Modell vorgestellt. Es beschreibt berufliche Entwicklung als dynamische Interaktion dreier zentraler Momente beruflicher Entwicklung. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to their more experienced colleagues, novice teachers are more likely to experience burn-out and leave the profession. They are also more likely to be assigned out-of-field. This paper shines a light on the emotional and cognitive nature of what is involved for these teachers as they learn to teach out-of-field. Fortune lines technique was used by four novice secondary teachers to reflect on how their perceived capacity and enjoyment changed in their out-of-field and in-field teaching practice, and the influences that caused those changes. Analysis showed that teachers experienced more growth in capacity and enjoyment in their out-of-field contexts compared to in-field, but that their experience of learning was more disrupted. Twelve interconnected categories of influence were identified, but teachers' unique experiences show that tailored support should be informed by an understanding of what factors corrode and enhance each teacher's perceived capacity and enjoyment.

Teacher educators are an increasingly diverse, occupational group due to the marketization of teacher education. Global policy reforms mean that educating teachers now occur in a myriad of ways, across multiple learning sites. In the Australian context, recent initial teacher education reforms mean that classroom teachers are required to take greater responsibility for teacher preparation, while university-based teacher educators are required to maintain school-university partnerships and show evidence of the impact of their programs on the graduates they produce. These changes herald significant changes for cross-sectoral collaboration and the emergence of 'hybrid' teacher educators who need to work across and between the boundaries of schools, their communities and universities. Drawing from a partnership study, this paper provides insights into the professional learning and boundary spanning of two mentor teachers as they navigated changes in their dualistic identities, roles and places of work as both teachers and school-based teacher educators.

This paper presents findings from the large-scale study "Literacy Teacher Educators: Their Backgrounds, Visions, and Practices" that includes 28 literacy/English teacher educators (LTEs) from four countries. The participants were interviewed three times and shared their course outlines. Six pre-service LTEs who use a constructivist approach are presented. The six LTEs speak English as their mother tongue. Three aspects of constructivism are discussed: knowledge is constructed by learners; knowledge is experience based; and a strong class community is essential. They have adopted a constructivist approach because they conceptualised the teaching/learning process as a partnership. Constructivism is a flexible and fluid framework so individual LTEs can shape their work for their context and draw on their strengths; however, it is demanding because courses have to be somewhat organic in order to create space for discussion of issues as they arise.

Despite widespread support for integrated approaches to teaching, classroom practice reveals a lack of implementation. This paper explores challenges and opportunities in teaching an integrated curriculum, and connects this with the contemporary notion of a twenty-first century curriculum and pedagogy. A case study of Global Education (GE) is used to delineate the complexity of issues when teachers attempt to move beyond disciplinary-based teaching approaches. We examine curriculum documents, advice for teachers on curriculum implementation, preservice teachers' experiences in schools during Professional Experiences and national guidelines for Professional Experience. Through these data, a broad picture emerges of influences on integrating curricula in classrooms. Opportunities to integrate curriculum incorporating twenty-first century pedagogies were limited by pressures on teachers with preservice teachers rarely exposed to authentic integration. Teachers' professional standing requires clear guidelines, which allow them to pursue important twenty-first century content and skills, for young citizens and this must begin in preservice education.

Research suggests that the development of a teacher educator identity is a central process in becoming a teacher educator. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the concept of teacher identity. However, teacher educator identity seems to be still under-researched. In this article, a review of literature on teacher educator identity is provided. Fifty-two research papers were analysed to identify challenges and tensions teacher educators experience during their induction, factors which influence the development of their professional identity, and the features that induction programmes should have. The findings suggested that new teacher educators generally develop negative self-views about their abilities and professional identities. Self-support and community support activities were found to facilitate teacher educators' transition and enhance their identity development. Key features of academic induction were identified as acting as a learning community, cultivating supportive and professional relationships, encouraging self-enquiry and research and involving teacher educators in reflective activities.

This paper used the data collected from reflective diaries, semi-structured interviews and surveys to identify and examine common themes identified in the roles required and/or perceived for teacher educators by both teachers and teacher educators. Collaboration, discussion and critique enabled personal reflection as teacher educators worked as partners to schools in a state-sponsored teaching and learning skills project. We have termed the collaboration in such an interactive project as one of "dancing in the ditches", often requiring both groups to get out of their comfortable spaces and engage with each other in constantly moving situations. The teacher educators were required to be change agents at the interface of theory and practice and their experiences reflected individual journeys, but their reflections have ongoing implications for clarifying and professionalising the role of teacher educators.

This paper investigates current research into the role of education in combating social injustice, assembles this research to indicate key features of a teacher education programme that would assist education for social justice, and links these features to one innovative university teacher education programme to ascertain some of the practical difficulties in establishing such a programme. The research indicated key approaches that would enhance the probability that graduates from teacher education programmes will be able to pursue social justice initiatives.

The purpose of this study was to provide guidance to policy-makers about the standards that might be appropriate for accrediting teacher education programmes. The study was commissioned by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT), a statutory body established in 2001 by the Victorian state government with responsibility for the registration (licensing) of teachers and the accreditation of teacher education programmes. The study investigated the characteristics of effective initial teacher education programmes, as reported by teachers who have just finished their first year of teaching. A survey instrument was distributed in 2004 to all registered teachers who had graduated from their teacher education programme in 2002, taught in 2003 and were now one month into their second year of teaching in 2004. In total, 1147 teachers returned completed questionnaires, from all universities in the state. Teachers who reported that they were well prepared to meet the demands of their first year of teaching were more likely to have completed courses that gave them deep knowledge of the content they were expected to teach, and how students learned that content, as well as skill in: diagnosing students' existing levels of understanding of the content; planning activities that would promote further development of understanding; and assessing the extent to which development had taken place. The paper concludes with implications for accreditation policy. (Contains 1 figure, 9 tables and 4 notes. Tables showing significant variation between teacher education courses in different universities are appended.) [Support for this study was given by Victorian Institute of Teaching.]

As teacher education undergoes significant reform, open and distance education utilizing new interactive forms of technology will play a crucial role in improving the quality and extent of preservice and inservice teacher education. New assessments of costs and effectiveness are needed. The paper presents four case studies illustrating technology use in open and distance teacher education. (SM)