A leading QUT education expert says an up-to-date national register on what subjects teachers are needed for in secondary school would help universities better prepare graduates.
Professor Kar-Tin Lee heads the school of curriculum at QUT’s Faculty of Education and is a leading Australian and international expert in digital technology and quality of teaching.
“A national register of teachers would provide excellent data analytics to help inform universities,” Professor Kar-Tin Lee said.
“This information when collated will allow universities to make better decisions with regard to demand for certain subject areas over the next 5-10 years.”
The call for a national approach came as the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) found early career secondary teachers were more likely to be teaching outside their area of expertise.
The Policy Insights report was based on 2013 Staff in Australia’s Schools (SiAS) survey.
Professor Kar-Tin Lee welcomed the report but suggested an overhaul of the current report system, with quicker ‘real-time’ access to information across the state, federal and the university sectors.
“If government organisations and teacher registration bodies work closely with ITE institutions then students can be strategically steered into the teaching areas that are actually needed,” she said.
“This prudent information will also benefit students in the long run.
“Meeting teacher demand for the future should not be a matter of gazing into a blurred crystal ball.
“This data is available in every state. It is a matter of consolidating the data and allowing institutions to forward plan based on solid statistics.”
Strong growth in student numbers in schools is driving demand for secondary teachers over the next 10 to 15 years.
Higher education students who study teaching will sit a national literacy and numeracy test before they can apply for registration which was also aimed at attracting quality teachers.
“Government support for professional development for teachers in out-of-field teaching areas currently available would only solve the problem in the short term.
“A national approach is needed.”
Media contact: media@qut.edu.au or 07 3138 1150
