Abstract:
Currently Australian universities are facing the harsh realities of economic rationalism and the call is to do more for less. With the central aim of producing competent practitioners and maintaining high quality programmes, educators are looking for ways of improving practice within the confines of restricted budget. Whilst field experience is recognised as a crucial element of initial teacher education courses it is a costly component of the programme to implement.
This paper reports the development, implementation and evaluation of a collaborative teaching and learning model for field experience within a context of financial contraint. A four week block practice, scheduled as a component of an early childhood teacher education program, was used to explore alternative strategies for improving the quality of teaching and learning for student teachers, classroom teachers and university teachers. This paper describes the strategies used to promote team teaching and collaborative skills and to assist classroom teachers assume a mentoring and facilitating role. Data were gathered through pre and post practice questionnaires and focus group meetings with student teachers, classroom teachers and university teachers. Recommendations were drawn for the development of future practice and policy.
This paper reports the development, implementation and evaluation of a collaborative teaching and learning model for field experience within a context of financial contraint. A four week block practice, scheduled as a component of an early childhood teacher education program, was used to explore alternative strategies for improving the quality of teaching and learning for student teachers, classroom teachers and university teachers. This paper describes the strategies used to promote team teaching and collaborative skills and to assist classroom teachers assume a mentoring and facilitating role. Data were gathered through pre and post practice questionnaires and focus group meetings with student teachers, classroom teachers and university teachers. Recommendations were drawn for the development of future practice and policy.