This paper introduces the design for a study to investigate application of a cognitive apprenticeship approach to preservice teacher education. The research will be informed by and build upon the findings of a previous Master of Education dissertation. In particular, the study seeks to investigate answers to the following research question: To…

This paper addresses the major issues beginning teachers face in their first postings to rural areas in Australia. The issues go beyond pedagogy. Beginning teachers need to understand social factors affecting rural communities so they can link lessons to the realities experienced by students. Geographic isolation affects the provision of education…

Discusses the results of a study that investigated the level of computer use among beginning primary and secondary teachers in Western Australia. Correlations between the instructional technology courses in teacher training programs and the level of computer usage in the classroom are described, particularly regarding curriculum issues and…

This paper reports on an investigation into the first time implementation of a technology education unit of work by a beginning primary school teacher. The researchers monitored the teacher's implementation of the unit across a 6 week period using an interpretivist research approach. A variety of data sources were drawn upon including teacher and…

This paper suggests criteria for effective student teacher experiences and supervisory roles. A system of student teaching supervision with a heavy emphasis on imitative and reproductive learning is an unlikely means of equipping teachers with the confidence to apply process skills of inquiry and problem solving to the numerous dilemmas of…

In Australia, many teachers begin their careers in rural schools, a posting for which they are often ill-prepared. This book addresses the concerns of beginning teachers or other teachers about to take up rural appointments. The first chapter examines the context of rural schools, differentiates between "rural education" (education…

A survey directed to all teachers who graduated with a Diploma of Teaching from Nedlands College of Advanced Education (Western Australia) in 1976-1977 and who had completed at least one year of teaching incorporated four basic aims: (1) to ascertain the number of teachers who had students with different cultural backgrounds; (2) to identify the…

The first section of this monograph contains a report on a research study that investigated the induction of beginning teachers in Queensland, Australia. The first phase of the study collected the opinions of educational associations and organizations with respect to the responsibility of the profession for the induction of beginning teachers. In…

This review is presented as a supplement to the main report of the Western Australia State Inquiry into Teacher Educaton. Since most of the information included was obtained directly from primary sources, little of it is available elsewhere. Much of this information could well be of value to the institutions for their own analysis and planning,…

This is a case study report from a larger study that focused on how an empowerment professional development model influenced the mathematics pedagogical practices and beliefs of Australian primary school teachers during their first year of teaching. The research used an interpretive approach for analysis of data from interviews, observations,…

A study of graduates of the de Lissa Institute of Early Childhood Studies and the School of Early Childhood Studies (SECS) at the University of Melbourne in Australia identified changes in the professional attitudes of teachers during their first year of teaching. Early childhood teachers working in junior primary schools, preschool kindergartens,…

Studies of teacher development face the issue of providing a valid and generalizable analysis reflecting the influence of differences in people and contexts and their interactions. To adopt a study designed upon a single set of data, whether extensive or intensive, is limiting--both types of data are needed. Effective research provides for a wide…

These chapters describe partnerships and mentoring programs in the United Kingdom for initial teacher education. Part 1: The Context contains two chapters: "Partnerships in School-Based Training: The Implications for Physical Education" (Patricia Shenton and Elizabeth Murdoch); and "What Is Mentoring?" (Michael Taylor and Joan…

This study describes the emerging themes and issues that impact on learning to teach science. The study examined whether the "language of schooling" that novices have been exposed to conflicts with the actual demands of practice, and how this conflict is resolved. Study participants were 14 Australian science graduates who had completed…

By the time they complete their preservice education, prospective teachers have acquired a "latent culture" of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values in anticipation of their professional performance. An Australian research team, with this factor in mind, devised a survey questionnaire to examine the process of induction of beginning…