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‘ Crucial contribution ’
Major changes to teaching degrees .
By Eleanor Campbell
Universities will have until 2025 to roll out major changes in their teaching degrees as part of a major shake-up of teacher education in Australia .
Last week , education ministers signed off “ in principle ” on 14 recommendations from experts tasked to address falling graduation rates and nationwide teacher shortages .
In its final report the ITE expert panel , led by University of Sydney ’ s vice-chancellor Mark Scott , called for universities to mandate four key content areas to better prepare preservice teachers for the classroom .
This includes a focus on classroom management , effective reading and writing instruction , and ways to effectively teach students from diverse backgrounds .
“ We want to make sure that all beginning teachers learn and can apply the teaching practices which work best ,” Dr Scott said .
“ The recommendations will make a crucial contribution to addressing workforce shortages .”
Statistics show that 50 per cent of students in Australia fail to finish teaching degrees , while 20 per cent of graduates exit the profession within three years .
Upon the release of the panel ’ s report federal education minister Jason Clare said that many teachers enter classrooms feeling unequipped and ill-prepared .
“ We ’ ve got a teacher shortage crisis in this country at the moment ,” Clare said .
“ If we make reforms to the way we do teacher training and we provide teaching students with better practical experience , [..] more will complete their degree , and more will stay on for years and provide invaluable education to children right across the country .”
Universities will now have two years to overhaul their teaching course content or risk losing their accreditation .
Universities will be eligible to receive grants of up to $ 5m to strengthen the quality of their teaching degrees and up to $ 2.5m if they report back strong student outcomes .
The expert panel also recommended attracting potential mid-career students to postgraduate courses with shorter degrees , paid employment opportunities and part-time study options ■
‘ Embrace it ’
More than half of Australia ’ s young people want AI regulation .
By Erin Nixon
Australian students are using AI programs like ChatGPT as a drafting tool for assignments rather than to cheat , a new study has shown .
A recent survey conducted by YouthInsight interviewed 567 young people aged 14 to 26 , with nearly half attending high school .
The study found that 50 per cent of Gen Zs experiment with AI as a tool to help with their schoolwork or study .
Nearly 71 per cent said they wouldn ’ t use the program to cheat on their schoolwork .
Currently , all Australian states and territories , apart from South Australia , have banned the use of AI in schools following the release of ChatGPT last year .
One student in the survey reported that they only used AI for “ an explanation for computing- not an entire solution or submission for my assignments .
The YouthInsight survey also found that 1 in 5 students used AI for conversations , which the survey ’ s authors said indicated the isolation students felt during lockdowns .
When asked about the potential impact of AI tools on education , students said that teachers should “ embrace it ” rather than “ shun it ”.
“ It is just like using a calculator . It may , later on , be adapted as a normality that schools will have to regulate and be flexible with in the future ,” one student reported .
Around 68 per cent of students disagreed or strongly disagreed with banning AI in schools , noting that most young people had “ ChatGPT at our disposals anyway .”
The study ’ s authors said the results identify opportunities for teachers to champion responsible AI usage rather than implementing bans on the technology . ■
2 | educationreview . com . au