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Chapter 13 - Becoming a teaching professional: The ethical and legal dimensions

from Part IV - Professional engagement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  aN Invalid Date NaN

Jeanne Allen
Affiliation:
Griffith University, Queensland
Simone White
Affiliation:
RMIT University
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Summary

High-quality teachers and teaching are essential for quality educational outcomes, and ultimately Australia’s economic and social wellbeing. This is recognised globally and has resulted in the development, implementation and enforcement of teacher standards to improve teacher quality and teacher professionalisation. The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership and the Initial Teacher Education Program Standards were developed to enhance and regulate teacher preparation and the quality of graduates. The standards are used by state and territory regulators to describe minimum levels of competence for teacher registration in Australia. Initial teacher education (ITE) programs now have specified entry requirements, including levels of academic achievement and dispositional attributes. However, the focus on preservice education to improve teacher quality is one-sided, overlooking the inservice issues that impact teacher quality, such as teacher shortages, pay and employment conditions.

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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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Further reading/resources

Bahr, N. & Mellor, S. (2016). Building quality in teaching and teacher education. Australian Education Review, 61. http://research.acer.edu.au/aer/15Google Scholar
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Queensland College of Teachers (QCT). (2016). Professional boundaries: A guideline for Queensland teachers. www.qct.edu.au/standards-and-conduct/professional-boundariesGoogle Scholar

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