Initial teacher education today

Key messages:

1. Initial teacher education has changed significantly over the past decade.
2. ITE students must pass the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education and successfully complete a Teaching Performance Assessment, as well as other assessments, to satisfy the Graduate Teacher Standards of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
3. New entrants must meet academic and non-academic selection criteria to gain admission to a teaching program.
4. Initial teacher education continues to welcome a diverse range of students, including through the provision of employment-based pathways, to ensure the teaching workforce reflects the Australian population.
5. Graduate teachers enjoy strong employment outcomes.

Introduction/why read:

Initial teacher education is crucial to creating a skilled, passionate teaching workforce that can meet the needs of all learners, and there has been considerable focus on increasing the quality of teacher education systems in Australia. Teaching today looks very different to what many teachers experienced when they were educated, reflecting significant transformation in initial teacher education.

This Spotlight outlines what a teaching degree looks like for undergraduate and postgraduate students today and explains how entry requirements, selection processes and assessment have changed. It describes nationally agreed standards, academic and non-academic selection criteria, and the role of professional experience and teaching performance assessment.

By exploring different pathways into teaching and the reforms introduced to strengthen programs, this Spotlight shows how initial teacher education aims to ensure new teachers are equipped with nationally recognised skills and experience for their very first day in the classroom and beyond.