Eckersley, William ORCID: 0000-0002-7235-7186, Tobin, K and Windsor, S (2016) Service learning in three Initial Teacher Education programs. Enhancing preservice teacher engagement in school communities. In: Australian Association of Research in Education, 28 November 2016-02 December 2016, Melbourne.

Abstract

Professional experience is an essential component of initial teacher education. It provides preservice teachers with opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills in learning and teaching in school and early childhood settings. It engages preservice teachers in real situations that facilitate authentic learning typically supported by mentor teachers. These situated learning experiences (Tobell and O’ Donnell, 2004) enable undergraduate and post graduate preservice teachers to develop skills and practices that meet national standards. In addition to this learning, some universities have developed school-university partnerships that expose their preservice teachers to forms of project-based learning (Markham, 2011). Three university partnerships are discussed in this paper in which curriculum based ‘learning by doing’ (Dewey, 1897) projects are a priority. Partnership projects, typically identified by school partners and linked to school strategic plans and priorities involve preservice teachers forming small professional learning teams (that include university and school based educators and teachers as researchers) who facilitate the planning, management and reporting of a project. These project-based learning tasks are facilitated and aligned to the traditional professional experience and often involve work integrated learning (Bates, 2011) and development of 21st century project management skills: team work, leadership, negotiation, evaluation, collaboration, entrepreneurship, project management and research skills.

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