TEACHERS WORKING KNOWLEDGE AND TRAINING - THE AUSTRALIAN AGENDA FOR REFORM OF TEACHER-EDUCATION

In Australia the policy makers are attempting to define teachers' working knowledge in terms of competencies which will form the foundation of award restructuring both for teachers' careers and for their students in industry. In the quest for increased national productivity, generic competencies may be mandated in an attempt to improve the quality of teaching. The training element in teacher education is reviewed, and the tension between the industrial training model and programmes supportive of the reflective practitioner is delineated. The key issue that emerges for all parties from this task analysis of the authors' Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) type programme is the need to reconnect competence and knowledge in foundation studies.