Sites of contestation over teacher education in Australia

Abstract

Teacher education in Australia is subject to a great deal of policy interest at both Federal and State levels; it is also part of education policy shifts for the whole university sector. This paper explores Australian teacher education policy in terms of its governance, focusing on three current ‘sites of contestation’: university policy, budgetary policy, and Federal–State relations. In considering the ‘Australian case’, the authors aim to provide a case study of the ways in which ‘globalising trends’ are played out in particular cultural, historical and political contexts.

Keywords:

• teacher education policy
• globalisation
• politics of teacher education
• higher education funding
• Federal‐State relations
• programme accreditation

Acknowledgements

We thank Lew Zipin and John Furlong for comments on this paper.

Notes

1. The details of the fees implications are found mainly in several budget footnotes, requiring careful analysis to comprehend the reduction in funding for teacher education (http://www.dest.gov.au/portfolio_department/dest_information/publications_resources/resources/budget_information/budget_2007_2008/at_a_glance.htm; ACDE, 2007).