Online Professional Experience: Video as a Medium for Observing and Critiquing Classroom Practice

Abstract

<p>Initial teacher education is designed to guide students through the theories and practices of teaching, with the objective of graduating classroom-ready teachers. The past 15 years have seen an increasing number of students in Australia gaining their education degrees through studying online, a mode that is effective in preparing teachers for today's classrooms. ITE students spend time on professional experience (PEx) placements across their program of study. Many initial teacher education degrees commence PEx placements with students spending time in a school to observe classroom and teaching practice. This has been the process for many years, and while it is common, there are questions about the value for ITE students of beginning their PEx placements by completing observations in classrooms, when they may not have the experience to understand and reflect upon what they are observing. In 2016, as part of the initial NSW PEx Hub initiative, a new approach to observation PEx was proposed by the University of New England and their partner schools, in the form of an Online Demonstration School. This chapter presents a narrative account of the implementation of the Online Demonstration School, from the perspectives of the professional and academic staff involved. We set the context for this initiative within the complexities of PEx, review some of the current literature, highlight the ongoing challenges the project has faced, reflect upon outcomes, and end with a discussion of the way forward.</p>