Terms of reference
On the 20 June 1996 the following matter was referred to the
Employment, Education and Training References Committee for inquiry and report
on or before the last sitting day of the Autumn session 1998:
The status of teachers and the development of the profession
during the next five years. In particular the Committee will:
- Describe
community attitudes towards teachers and the ways in which schools operate.
This should include examination of:
- the perceived relevance, to young people, of school and its links
to vocational training and employment
- what is expected of schools in relation to meeting the needs of
young people without appropriate family or personal support
- any differences in the perceptions of urban and rural communities
concerning schools.
- Examine
the expectations of teachers regarding their careers and identify those issues
which bear most significantly upon job satisfaction, stress and their ability
to carry out their work efficiently and effectively.
- Possible
issues might include:
- new patterns of work organisation and the relationships between
teaching and non-teaching staff in schools
- impact of communications technology on the role of the teacher
and the management of schools
- changes to school funding practices, such as the emergence of
private fundraising
- systems organisation and its impact on work practices and career
development
- social factors influencing the expectations and attitudes of
school students, and especially the impact on teachers of 'at risk' and violent
behaviour from students.
- Develop
a national profile of Australia's teachers according to age, gender,
qualifications, experience, salary levels and career history.
- Assess
the levels of supply and demand which should guide the workforce planning for
teachers in the context of demographic and other changes affecting schools into
the next century.
- Examine
the tertiary entrance levels of teacher trainees and the research literature on
the quality of Australian teacher education programs, and identify those
features which bear significantly upon the quality of classroom practice.
- Describe
best practice in the induction of newly-trained teachers into schools, and
identify any significant shortcomings in induction or on-going professional
development which require urgent attention.
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