Southern Cross Uni to revolutionise teacher training

Southern Cross University will work with local Catholic schools to develop a bold new model for training teachers.

Southern Cross University will work with local Catholic schools to revolutionise the model for training teachers.

Southern Cross University will work with Catholic school around its Lismore home campus in northern NSW to pioneer bold new ways of training teachers and giving trainees more time in schools.

The university has signed a three-year agreement with the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools for a $1.2 million research program to develop new approaches to teacher training.

Adam Spencer, the director of Catholic schools in the diocese, said that pre-service teachers would have the opportunity to combine learning and practice in school classrooms from when they began their studies.

“They will have the opportunity to learn while they teach in schools across the diocese, spending more time in the classroom before they graduate. We anticipate many pre-service teachers will embrace the opportunity to remain teaching in the diocese of Lismore schools after graduation,” Mr Spencer said.

David Lynch, research director of SCU’s TeachLab, said there was substantial research to support different approaches in teacher education and classroom practice.

“The research agreement with Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools will allow us to flip that model, working with teachers and school leaders on those things the evidence tells us will improve outcomes for students, support the development of teachers in their practice and create a school environment which is highly individual and targets the needs of each student,” said Professor Lynch.