Key components of effective professional experience in initial teacher education in Australia

We have worked closely with Associate Professor Rosie Le Cornu to prepare a report that identifies the key components of effective professional experience. The report, titled Key Components of Effective Professional Experience in Initial Teacher Education in Australia, was used to help identify 12 video case studies of professional experience in initial teacher education in Australia. It has also been used to inform other elements of our work regarding professional experience in response to the Action Now Classroom Ready Teachers Report. In summary, the key components of professional experience identified in the effective professional experience report are:

• high-quality supervising teachers
• high-level commitment from leaders
• well-structured integrated initial teacher education programs
• well-managed integrated initial teacher education programs
• well-supported integrated initial teacher education programs
• high-quality school-university partnerships
• high-quality multiple stakeholder partnerships.

Professional experience is recognised consistently in both the literature and in reports on teacher education as a critically important part of initial teacher education programs and is regarded highly by pre-service teachers and experienced teachers alike (Ramsey, 2000; Parliament of Australia, 2007; Darling-Hammond, 2006; Bullock & Russell, 2010; Cohen et al, 2013; TEMAG report, 2014). Whilst professional experiences are considered pivotal to initial teacher education, they are not without their critics, nor, as shall be shown, are they problem-free.