Cooperating Teachers' Perspectives Under Scrutiny: A comparative analysis of Australia and Canada

Abstract

The ways in which cooperating teachers give shape and meaning to their work in practicum settings is one of the most critical elements of initial teacher education. This international comparison draws upon surveys of Australian and Canadian cooperating teachers. The global contrast highlights taken‐for‐granted assumptions in local settings that in some instances are cause for celebration and in other instances concern. The comparison of the two settings illustrates, among other things: some striking similarities in the profiles of cooperating teachers; important differences with respect to the cooperating teachers' preparation and remuneration for their role in practicum settings; and deeper complexities regarding the relationship between schools and universities.

Acknowledgements

The Victorian research was part of a larger project supported by a Monash University Small Grant. The authors wish to acknowledge the contribution of colleagues, Mandi Berry, Bella Illesca and Brenton Doecke, to this research project.