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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Develop a national profile of Australia's teachers according to age, gender, qualifications, experience, salary levels and career history.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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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