Languages education, or what has been called the study of languages other than English (LOTE), seems to involve a paradox in Australia. It is supposed to promote cultural enrichment and intercultural understanding, and yet the process of becoming a qualified language teacher tends to be intolerant of the cultural differences of overseas born and…

Due to the difficulties inherent in staffing rural schools it is increasingly common for early career teachers (ECTs) to experience school leadership roles. Such opportunities include a range of responsibilities such as establishing school and curriculum direction and providing leadership in pedagogy, assessment, and school-community relations.…

The results of the study confirm in an Australian context the general thrust of earlier studies: that beginning teachers experience an ideological shift from idealism to realism during their initial teaching experience. (Author)

This is the final report of Phase 2 of a study on teacher training and professional development in the nation members of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Phase 2 examined policy and practices of teacher induction in 11 participating APEC members. This report provides responses to a survey and three case studies. The survey asked Education…

Strategies for easing the transition of beginning teachers in isolated rural communities are discussed. Preservice teachers should spend time in a variety of schools and cultivate a positive outlook toward rural teaching. Meet-the-teacher nights and adopt-a-teacher schemes build rapport between teachers and community. Support from principals, the…

The academic and social achievements of students in rural schools are very uneven and often absenteeism and suspension rates are high. Factors such as globalisation, economic restructuring, unemployment, youth suicide and family trauma, drought and environmental change (see Bourke & Lockie 2001) also impact on rural schooling and add further…

This study investigated elements of school environments that explain variance in burnout scores in a sample of university graduates from Brisbane, Australia, two years after they commenced work as teachers. Using a longitudinal survey methodology, 79 beginning teachers completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) on four occasions over a two-year…

Information communication technology (ICT) outcomes have been incorporated into the current New South Wales (NSW) Teaching Standards document which informs all NSW teachers of the standards they are expected to meet in their schools. In order to qualify to teach and to meet these standards as graduates, preservice teachers must demonstrate a range…

Teachers recruited to a cohort study in 1978 were interviewed to elicit their views on issues surrounding the education system and teaching profession. Qualitative data were derived from a semi-structured interview and quantitative data included a self-report measure of temperament and character. The findings highlight a "mismatch"…

This article presents the reports from the international research correspondents (IRCs) on the topic of teacher preparation through an informal polling using a questionnaire, consisting of 10 items related to the issue of teacher preparation, in eight countries. The participating IRCs include: (1) Jan Turbill of Australia; (2) Shelley Peterson of…

Two case studies of a nongraduate and a graduate teacher-in-training at a technical and further education (TAFE) college illustrate the problems of beginning teachers. Survey results also showed that 40 percent of beginning teachers found their preservice training irrelevant; 50 percent perceived inadequate support from senior staff; but 70…

Case studies are presented of the induction and professional development of five young teachers, specifically focusing on the impact of structural and policy changes (external workplace environment) on the ideas of young teachers in schools (internal workplace environment). The case studies investigate issues of continuity and change in teachers'…

A longitudinal case study was conducted to explore changes in how beginning science teachers conceptualize science teaching. The current study explored the development of two of these teachers who were chosen because of their contrasting levels of expertise after their first semester of independent teaching. The research was designed to elicit the…

This report presents the results of a survey questionnaire of beginning teachers who started duty in Queensland preschools or kindergartens in 1987. A brief summary is given of the literature on induction and beginning teachers, and a description provided of the organization of early childhood education in Queensland. At the beginning of the year,…

This paper reports the findings of an Australia-wide survey conducted as part of a national teacher education research project that explored the preparation of teachers to teach literacy and numeracy in Australian schools (Louden, Rohl, Gore, Greaves, McIntosh, Wright, Siemon & House, 2005). The project included various phases of inquiry,…