In particular the ACDE wishes to draw the attention of the Inquiry to the issues of:
The last two decades have seen a serious decline in research funding for education and specifically teacher education. This is partly the result of the absence of dedicated research grant mechanisms similar to grants available for all other major industries. When combined with the demise of support for research in government education systems this has exacerbated the difficulties experienced by education researchers in
contributing to analyses of issues such as those raised by the Inquiry
There is significant research capability evident in faculties of education. In order for this research potential to be realised there is a need for dedicated support which would allow for more extensive examination of crucial issues such as those raised by the Inquiry.
Recommendations
While there will always be a degree of uncertainty regarding the accuracy of labour force projections, this uncertainty cannot excuse the absence of agreed mechanisms for the assessment of like future demand a supply in crucial professional areas such as education. Within this context the ACDE has been instrumental in the establishment of a collaborative approach with DEETYA with the purpose of undertaking detailed analyses of three issues where there is always variance in the interpretation and reporting of data: separation rates; the pool of unemployed teachers; the supply of new graduates from initial teacher education courses. National agreement on the mechanisms for such analysis needs to be achieved. This agreement should establish ongoing procedures for the assessment of supply and demand on a national basis.
Recommendation
Key issues of relevance to such an assessment are
Incentives to ensure well qualified entrants to the professionThe issue of quality cannot be divorced from the establishment of appropriate regulatory mechanisms for the profession. These should incorporate, at the very least, a minimum four year period of initial teacher education including two years of professional studies. The ACDE is strongly of the view that such regulatory mechanisms should make provision for national registration and therefore increased mobility as well as providing national guarantees of quality and suitability for teachers.
An adequate resource base for the provision of high quality teacher education programs
Appropriate financial provision for the development of high quality practicum experience and induction.
Industry provision and support for continuing professional development of a high quality.
Recommendation:
The ACDE is concerned that initiatives associated with the ongoing professional development of teachers have historically been linked with the provision of short term funding. Such arrangements are an unsatisfactory basis for the maintenance of the profession. While the ACDE acknowledges the importance of short courses in terms of industry change, it also emphasises the need for more sustained professional development through such mechanisms as government and employer support for continuing study of educational practice.
Recommendations
Competition and Regulation.
The ACDE is concerned that a regulatory framework for the teaching profession should be established so as to provide a widely acceptable quality assurance mechanism that would ensure the quality of education within Australian schools. It is apparent that where deregulation has been applied to the industry without such a framework (e.g.New Zealand) there has been an attendant decline in quality of outcomes achieved by some providers. As previously indicated the ACDE is currently providing leadership in the development of standards and guidelines for the profession which should be instructive in the future development of any framework for the industry.
Finance
While it is clear that there is a mixture of public and private benefit in all higher education the mixture varies significantly between different levels and kinds of course. It is demonstrable that teacher education courses are of major public benefit and that the private rates of return to investment in teacher education are low compared with other professions and fields of study such as business. It follows that teacher education should continue to be provided in ways which secure public benefit at public cost. While this is particularly the case at undergraduate level it is also imperative that the continuing upgrading of the quality and competence of the profession is ensured through support for postgraduate courses and enrolment.
Globalisation
The performance of education systems is intimately connected with economic and cultural competition within an increasingly globalised context. This fact has been acknowledged recently in the Clinton Administration's declaration of education as a national priority. Australian education at school and higher levels cannot be left behind. The Australian education system must fulfil two major imperatives within this context. Firstly it must maintain a competitive, position through the assurance of high quality and volume of graduates. Secondly, it must provide graduates who are able to articulate Australian social, cultural and economic values within the global context.
Technology
While advances in information technology can clearly make a significant contribution to the resources available within education systems it seems unlikely that there can be easy technological solutions to many pressing educational problems- especially those of a social, cultural, and motivational kind. Nonetheless, it is important that teacher education be at the forefront of both the utilisation and the pedagogical structuring of systems of instruction.
The ACDE is of the view that further comment would be best facilitated through personal presentation and would welcome the opportunity to discuss these and other matters with the Inquiry Team.