Investigating the Literacy, Numeracy and ICT Demands of Primary Teacher Education

Abstract

Pre-service teacher education programs are required to graduate students who meet externally determined standards in literacy and numeracy. However, little is known about the literacy, numeracy and ICT knowledge and skills demanded of teacher education students as they complete assessment tasks on which successful completion of their teaching degrees depends. This paper reports on the initial phase of a project that involved collecting and analysing assessment tasks across all subjects in a Bachelor of Education (Primary) program at a regional university in order to determine the range of task types. The findings of this project indicate that student teachers would be better equipped to meet assessment demands if provided with more support as they strive to respond to assessment tasks. Such support would also contribute to the ability of student teachers to meet externally determined standards of literacy and numeracy and information and communication technology required of graduate teachers.