Are we at wits' end with the out-of-field teaching phenomenon? Micro-education policy frameworks as a possible solution

Abstract

<p>Out-of-field teaching can be defined as teaching practices that fall outside a teacher's field of qualifications or expertise,whether by subject or year-level. Research demonstrates that the combination of factors that surround and cause the occurrence of out-of-field teaching are not confined to particular countries, but rather, this phenomenon is a global education workforce issue. Yet, applying teachers into classrooms outside their qualifications as unsupported resources has significant implications for quality teaching and education. Most concerning are the expectations for sustained achievement and results placed on teachers working in unfamiliar teaching situations, as well as on their school leaders, in conjunction with the widespread occurrence of the phenomenon in schools.</p>