Innovation in in-service education and training of teachers: Australia

Review of inservice teacher education and teacher improvement programmes, 1973-1976, in Australia with case studies of: the Australian Government's School Commission Teacher Development (including teacher centres) Program, Australian Science Teachers Education Project, Victorian In-service Education Committee, the Centre for Continuing Education of Teachers, Tasmania, the Teaching Resources Centre of the Australian Capital Territory Schools Authority, and school-based inservice education - In general, preservice teacher education is provided by teachers colleges and universities within the home state of the trainee. Most inservice education is designed to upgrade teachers' qualifications, and is usually followed by teachers who wish to enhance their chances of promotion. Subject associations are important in organizing short courses. From 1973, the Australian Government has channelled funds to inservice educational programmes through the Schools Commission, although there have recently been cutbacks in spending. Inspectors are often viewed with hostility as assessors of teachers rather than advisers. Various State curriculum and research and teacher education branches have mounted inservice education programmes, and in several States programmes have been developed at regional level. Bibliography p. 110-116.