Abstract:
The context for this research project was the professional development of teachers in the major school education system of NSW. The NSW Department of Education and Training employs by far the majority of teachers in NSW, is the largest public education system in Australia and one of the largest in the southern hemisphere. It has 2,220 schools, over 750,000 students and some 46,000 teachers. The schools, located throughout NSW, are mostly co-educational and cater for students from early childhood through to post-compulsory secondary schooling. The system is administered through a central office and 40 districts.