Flexible Professional Experience Placements in Initial Teacher Education: Exploring the Perceptions of Key Stakeholder Groups

Autor/inn/en	Sarah M. James; Reece Mills; Mary Finch; Terri Bourke; Denise Beutel; Sally Savage; Mallihai Tambyah
Titel	Flexible Professional Experience Placements in Initial Teacher Education: Exploring the Perceptions of Key Stakeholder Groups
Quelle	In: Australian Educational Researcher, 53 (2026) 1, Artikel 15Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Link als defekt meldenVerfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Sarah M. James) ORCID (Reece Mills) ORCID (Mary Finch) ORCID (Terri Bourke) ORCID (Denise Beutel) ORCID (Sally Savage) ORCID (Mallihai Tambyah)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0311-6999
DOI	10.1007/s13384-025-00927-0
Schlagwörter	Forschungsbericht; Foreign Countries; Preservice Teacher Education; Preservice Teachers; Teacher Placement; Universities; Schools; Kindergarten; Child Care; Stakeholders; Field Instruction; Australia + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Lehramtsstudiengang; Lehrerausbildung; University; Universität; School; Schule; Kinderfürsorge; Kinderbetreuung; Praxisklasse; Australien
Abstract	Policy proposals in higher education and more specifically Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in Australia have highlighted the need for flexible professional experience placements. Flexible placements are assumed to redress challenges associated with traditional block placements such as student workload intensification and placement poverty. However, little is known about the reality of enacting flexible placements in university, school or kindergarten/long daycare settings. Inspired by Ball's notion of policy enactment which includes material, interpretive and discursive facets, this research examines education stakeholders' perceptions of enacting flexible placements, by asking: How do stakeholders define a flexible placement? How are flexible placements thought and spoken about? and What factors are perceived as enabling/constraining the enactment of flexible placements? Data were generated from interviews with 12 participants from three stakeholder groups (university staff, teachers, and preservice teachers) from one university in Queensland, Australia. Findings revealed that despite narrow views of flexible placements from stakeholders, sentiments towards such flexibility were generally positive. However, it became apparent that flexible placements could only be realised by taking the material constraints seriously. Recommendations for ITE programs enacting flexible placements are suggested. (As Provided).
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Begutachtung	Peer reviewed
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2026/2/04