Australian Journal of Teacher Education
Keywords
Pre-service teachers; teacher shortage; Phenomenological study; ITE providers; AAT pathways
Abstract
The practice of employing pre-service teachers (PST) in schools prior to the completion of their teacher training, has grown over the last three years as the teacher shortage across Australia and the world worsens. This study examines the perceived impact of Alternative Authority to Teach (AAT) contracts on the teaching profession through the lens of university lecturers working within the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) space. This phenomenological research sought to gain a wider understanding of the impact of AAT contracts on ITE stakeholders and their PST. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven university lecturers. A thematic analysis of the discourse arising from these interviews was conducted and found two distinct areas of concern, those relating to the student and employer, and PST and the university. University lecturers unanimously felt their voices were not heard, since they were not given a seat at the negotiation table between schools and registering bodies, prior to PSTs undertaking a teaching contract. These findings demonstrate the need for strategies that engender greater awareness of and support for PST working in the school system while studying. The combined voices of Initial Teacher Educators call for all stakeholders to be actively involved in the implementation of a holistic, purposeful and accountable approach to addressing the teacher shortage in sustainable, future focused endeavours.
Was this research funded?
No, research was not funded
Recommended Citation
Louth, S. A., & Mahony, L. (2026). Undercooked or over easy? Perceptions of Initial Teacher Educators on the growth of Alternative Authority to Teach contracts. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 51(2). https://doi.org/10.14221/1835-517X.7111