Teacher induction in Australia: Historical context and current challenges
Publication Details
Kearney, S.
(2023).
Teacher induction in Australia: Historical context and current challenges.
Issues in Educational Research, 33 (1).
Abstract
In Australia, the recognition of the importance of induction for beginning teachers has been present for over three decades. In 2016, the first set of guidelines was introduced to implement beginning teacher induction: Graduate to proficient: Australian Guidelines for teacher induction into the profession. However, reports of variations and inconsistencies in beginning teacher induction were widespread before the release of the guidelines. This article examines the historical context that led to the release of national guidelines and looks at recent research regarding beginning teacher induction to ascertain whether there have been any significant changes in the conduct of induction in the five years since the release of the guidelines, 2016-2020. Through a case study of beginning teacher induction, this article illustrates the extent to which the guidelines are being implemented, the experiences of the teachers undergoing beginning teacher induction in schools, and the ensuing policy implications. The findings indicate that a lack of policydriven, mandatory guidelines and oversight by regulators and school systems has led to little change in the implementation of induction, specifically in New South Wales (NSW) schools.
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