Time spent in classrooms is reported to be the component of teacher education degrees that pre-service teachers highly value as it allows them to practise teach in an authentic setting (Brandenburg & Ryan, 2001; Brett, 2006; Graves, 2010; House of Representatives, 2007; Walkington, 2005a). Despite this, the experiences pre-service teachers…

This investigation examined the course experiences of Bachelor of Education Primary students across each year of the course. The aims of the study were to identify gaps in what we know about our students; to identify relevant domains in student experiences and to assist with course improvements. A reflective inquiry paradigm was adopted for…

Children's literature can be used to help teachers to build into their teaching programs ways to examine and change personal lifestyles to secure a sustainable future; to identify, investigate, evaluate and undertake appropriate action to maintain, protect and enhance local and global environments; to challenge preconceived ideas, accept…

It is the Australian Government's intention that all teachers will have, as a minimum, a proficient level of demonstrable professional expertise in both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education and Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. A raft of government policies are giving shape to the engagement of the…

The focus of the research was to develop a model for effective learning and teaching of sociology in a large class to promote active engagement with first year undergraduate student teachers and encourage deep learning. By seeking regular feedback from students and recording their own reflections on each lecture, the teaching team and…

The development of capacities of creativity has long been important in creative arts education (Morgan, 2012) and is increasingly becoming important to other fields in higher education (McWilliam and Haukka, 2008, Csikszentmihalyi, 2006, Edward, McGoldrick & Oliver, 2006). To develop such capabilities at least two factors need to be addressed:…

The purpose of this paper is to report on an assessment task designed to provoke pre-service teacher education students to recollect and share experiences of what enabled and frustrated their learning. The assumption underpinning the creation of this task was that: if teacher education students could, through reflection and discussion, recapture…

This paper draws on emerging data from a doctoral study exploring how schools approach the development of self-regulated learners in Years 7-12. The research is exploring stakeholders' attitudes, beliefs, experiences and perceptions around the development of self-regulated learning (SRL) in contemporary secondary schools and how new and emerging…

The Swan Valley Cluster of Schools for the Make it Count project identified the professional learning of teachers as a key factor in improving the numeracy outcomes of urban Indigenous children. Two mentor teachers were assigned to support cluster teachers in planning and teaching mathematics during 2011. This paper reports on the initiative and…

This paper examines how Cooperative learning (CL) and democracy can be examined in relation to one another. CL supports a social constructivist view of students learning together to form knowledge through direct interaction. The overriding benefits of CL are that that it is an effective strategy for maximising both social and academic learning…

Across the globe many nations have found engaging young people in the post compulsory years of school to ensure their transition into economic citizens is challenging. Governments are focusing on developing initiatives and programs to connect young people in education and training as preparation for the workplace. In Australia the use of Applied…

This paper reports on research conducted on the impact of Buddhism on teaching, exploring the educational philosophy and approach, the daily practice of teaching, and the challenge of bringing together the mainstream education curriculum with Buddhist worldview in the first school in Australia being guided by Buddhist philosophy. Although there…

A significant proportion of students enrolling in mathematical subjects designed for non-STEM majors in university courses have minimal mathematical skills and poor motivation. This combination of starting attributes often leads to failure in the first mathematical subject encountered. We have been implementing simple, alternative pedagogies in an…

National government education policies in Australia and elsewhere are concerned with preparing citizens who can engage with a global economy and be internationally competitive. For example, the preamble to The Melbourne Declaration (Ministerial Council on Education Employment Training & Youth Affairs [MCEETYA], 2008) focuses on the need for young…

This article investigates how feminist pedagogy and poststructuralist theory can inform both teacher and student in the teaching and learning of gender in relation to teacher education. With reference to the author's own experience of teaching student teachers in early childhood education the article attempts to unravel the complex interface…