Introduction to Education: Knowledge, Practice, Engagement

The transition from student to classroom teacher presents many opportunities and challenges. Introduction to Education welcomes pre-service teachers to the field of education, providing an overview of the context, craft and practice of teaching in Australian schools. Each chapter poses a question about the nature of teaching and explores authentic classroom examples, contemporary research and literature, and the professional, policy and curriculum contexts of teaching. Thoroughly updated, the second edition continues to cover both theoretical and practical topics, with chapters addressing assessment, planning, safe learning environments, professional experience, and working with colleagues, families, caregivers and communities. Each chapter features: chapter opening stimulus materials and questions to activate prior learning and challenge assumptions; connections to policy and research with questions to encourage critical thinking and professional literacy; voices of educators and students that provide authentic classroom examples of the practical application of theory.

Heather Sharp is an Associate Professor at the University of Newcastle. With a background as a high school History and English teacher, she has taught in education foundations since commencing her tertiary career in 2006. Her research currently examples, history education, citizenship, and civics education. Heather is a founding member of the HERMES research group. She has been an invited researcher at the Georg Eckert Institute, Germany, and Linnaeus University, Sweden. Heather has taught and coordinated education courses in the areas of education foundations, History curriculum and pedagogies, literacies, education as a professional career, assessment and professional experience, and leads international study tours.

Jennifer Charteris is Professor of Education and Head of Department- Leadership, Pedagogy, Diversity and Inclusion in the School of Education at the University of New England. As a teacher educator with teaching experience in Aotearoa/New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom, Jennifer has worked with principals, teachers, students and school communities across the primary, secondary and tertiary sectors. Jennifer has provided professional learning for principals and teachers in strengthening school leadership and developing processes around effective assessment and culturally responsive pedagogies. Her research interests span pedagogy in innovative learning environments, practitioner inquiry, student voice, assessment for learning and teacher professional learning.

Dr Sarah James is a senior lecturer and the Academic Lead Professional Experience at QUT. She has a vested interest in the quality and delivery of the programs preservice teachers undertake. Currently, Sarah's research interests extend to education policy, with a specific emphasis on understanding its implications for early career teachers in rural, regional, and remote areas. With two decades of teaching and learning experience, Sarah has contributed significantly in various capacities in the educations sector.

Noelene Weatherby-Fell is an Associate Professor at the University of Wollongong. As Associate Dean Student Life within the Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, she provides leadership in supporting students in their academic progress and wellbeing, and continues to teach and coordinate education courses in curriculum and pedagogy. She has presented and written about her work nationally and internationally with the Response Ability Project (HIMH), was a project team member on the Office for Learning and Teaching project BRiTE (Building Resilience in Teacher Education), and continues to work with colleagues across the higher education sector with the Staying BRiTE project. Noelene represents schools and universities on state and national bodies that govern the standards for teacher education courses and their accreditation.

Bernard Brown is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Canberra, where he teaches a range of units at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels focused on curriculum, education policy and leadership, and in the Masters Program in Hangzhou, China. He has worked in schools and universities both in Australia and abroad, and is a member of a number of educational committees.