Shifting conceptualisations of initial teacher education: International and local understandings

摘要

ThispaperconsidersthechangesintheexpectationsofinitialteachereducationprogrammesinNewZealand.CurrentchallengesarereflectedintheprioritiesoutlinedbyboththeNewZealandGovernmentandMinistryofEducationwithrespectto1)mitigatingtheinequitiesineducationalandhealthandwellbeingoutcomesforMāori,Pasifikaandstudentsfromlowersocio-­‐economicbackgrounds,particularlyinliteracy;2)ensuringthatstudentswhoexperiencespecialeducationalneedsreachtheirpotentialandcancontributefullywithinoursociety;and3)raisingscience,maths,andtechnologyknowledgeandskillsamongouryouthinsupportoftheinnovativeandcreativesolutionswewillneedthemtocreatetosupportimprovedhealth,education,socialandeconomicoutcomesforournation’slong-­‐termsuccess. Inits2010report,theEducationWorkforceAdvisoryGroupReporttotheMinisterofEducationnoted“Toensurethattheteachingprofessioncanattractandretainhighqualityindividuals,broadchangesareneededinthewaythattheprofessionisperceived.Teacherscannotaffordtobeisolatedpractitionersworkingwithinasingleclassroom.Ifteachingistobeseenasahighstatusprofessionmuchgreateremphasisisneededoncontinuedlearningbyteacherswithinschoolssupportedbyclearandstrongprofessionalleadershipandthesharingofeffectivepracticeacrossschools”(p.2,b).By2013,theMinistryofEducationwascallingforinitialteachereducationproviderstoensurethatnewgraduateswereabletoshow“adaptiveexpertise”:Expectationsofeducationsystemsarechanging.Weexpectthatallstudentswillhavetheopportunitytodeveloptheknowledge,competenciesandvaluesrequiredtobesuccessfulinaworldthatisincreasinglycomplexanduncertain.Teachersenteringtheprofessionneedtohavetheknowledgeandadaptiveexpertisetoworkeffectivelywithanincreasinglydiversestudentpopulation(p.3). Thispapertracestheshiftsinthinkingaboutteacherbeginningcompetenciesanddispositionsthathaveledtothereconceptualizationoftheorganizingprincipleof“adaptiveexpertise.”