The Eighth International Literacy & Education Research Network Conference on

SPETSES, GREECE
4-8 July 2001

Peter Reynolds

Senior Lecturer, Kurongkurl Katitjin, School of Indigenous Australian Studies,
Edith Cowan University, Western Australia

The Shared Core Values of Australian Society and those of Pre-Service Teacher Education Students:
A Disjunction between Professional and Personal Values

Abstract

Following the development of the Common and Agreed National goals for Schooling (Australian Education Council, 1989) the Western Australian Curriculum Council was established and it has subsequently developed a Curriculum Framework for eight learning areas as well as for the values identified as implicit within those learning are and within the governance of schools (WA Curriculum Council, 1998). These values have been called the shared core values of Australian society.

Within the context of an analysis of these values, this paper presents the findings from a survey of the personal and the perceived societal values of Australia held by a sample of Bachelor of Education students in their third year of a four year professional degree. The paper also presents an analysis of that professional degree to ascertain just where, if at all, the young professionals in training are being introduced to the theory and practice of values education.

Finally, the paper raises a number of questions for designers of teacher education degrees. Students come to universities with sets of personal and social values, largely unexamined, and they are expected to develop additionally professional and societal values. How is this to be achieved? One of the criteria needed to define a profession is that professional preparation includes theoretical perspectives which should enable practitioners to explain the why and the how of their practice. To what extent have teacher education courses, now controlled by universities, measured up to this expectation?

Presentation Type
30 min. Paper

Presentation Equipment and Other Requests

Speaking Date/Time Restrictions

Country
Australia