Australian 2021 National Summit on TOOF
Online, 21-23 October, 2021
You are invited to attend the online 2021 National Summit on Teaching Out-of-field (TOOF). Generally speaking, teaching out-of-field refers to when teachers teach subjects or year levels they are not qualified to teach. The out-of-field phenomenon is an integral part of our education communities and systems. The multilayered implications of the out-of-field teaching phenomenon for education will be the focus of the presentations and discussions. Your attendance will be highly appreciated.
The Summit focuses on key themes in relation to teaching out-of-field, including:
Data needed to inform policy
School management & leadership
Initial Teacher Education
Teacher registration and accreditation policies
Teacher professional learning
Short Program
Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Times
Day 1: 21 October: 9:15-4:30 Presentations and deliberations
Day 2: 22 October: 9:15-4:30 Presentations and deliberations
Day 3: 23 October: 9:30-12:30 Synthesis of outcomes:
(1) Recommendations for policy, practice and research
(2) Next steps
Use the slider to see the detailed program across the three days:
Online Symposium
Powered by Zoom
Cost: Free
Key dates:
Registration closes: October 1
Online Summit:
Day 1: 21 October: 9:15-4:30
Day 2: 22 October: 9:15-4:30
Day 3: 23 October: 9:30-12:30
Summit convenors and contacts:
Linda Hobbs l.hobbs@deakin.edu.au
Anna DuPlessis a.duplessis@griffith.edu.au
Resources:
Summit format
Each session will involve invited presenters relating to the key themes, followed by deliberations in response to key questions. The intended outcomes of the Summit is to produce clear recommendations for policy, practice and research in relation to these themes and identify. Please see the program attached for detailed information regarding the different themes and sessions.
The online Summit will offer our valued international and national stakeholders, industry partners and colleagues an opportunity to attend and be part of the conversations about the out-of-field teaching phenomenon.
Zoom will be used for the online meeting.
TOOF Summit Report
“Australian National Summit on Teaching Out-of-field: Synthesis and Recommendations for Policy, Practice and Research”
By Linda Hobbs, Anna Du Plessis, Greg Oates, Susan Caldis, Lucinda McKnight, Colleen Vale, Michael O’Connor, Emily Rochette, Helen Watt, Paul Weldon, Paul Richardson, Claudette Bateup
Part A of this report synthesises the contributions to the Summit into key messages, actions and recommendations for each conference theme. Summaries of the presentations are provided in Part B of the report. A total of 22 Actions and 46 Recommendations inform policy, practice and research. These have been further distilled to 5 Cross-cutting Key Messages.
Five Cross-cutting Key Messages from the TOOF Summit Report
Report Downloads:
Executive Summary LINK
PART A. Report LINK
PART B. Summaries LINK
Actions and Recommendations LINK
Session resources
Day 1
Session 1 Policy and the Complexity of Out-of-Field Teaching
Why is policy so important? Why is defining out-of-field teaching so complex?
Anna Du Plessis (Griffith University): Presentation | Video
Linda Hobbs (Deakin University): Presentation | Video
Hobbs, Campbell, Delaney, Speldewinde, & Lai (2020). Defining and mapping out-of-field teaching in Victorian Government schools (definition only). Report prepared for the Victorian Department of Education and Training, October 15, 2020. https://ooftas-collective.squarespace.com/s/TOOF-Mapping-Report-Hobbs-et-al-2020_Definitions-only.pdf
Session 2 THEME 1 Data Needed to Inform Policy
What data are needed to inform policy? What data do we need to collect, using what data collection strategies by whom? How can data be used to inform attitudes and responses to out-of-field teaching?
Paul Weldon (Australian Council for Education Research): Presentation | Video
Helen Watt (USyd) and Paul Richardson (Monash): Presentation | Video
Jim van Overschelde (Texas State University): Presentation | Video
DATTA survey from 2019: http://www.dattaaustralia.com/sites/default/files/TECHNOLOGY%20TEACHER%20SHORTAGE%20SURVEY%20REPORT%202019%20DATTA%20AUSTRALIA.pdf
Shah, Richardson & Watt (2020) report from PISA 2015: https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/glodps/511.html
Paul Weldon’s data: https://research.acer.edu.au/policyinsights/6/
CASES21 data: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/school-administration-systems/resources
Session 3 The Realities for Teachers and Schools
What is the lived experience of out-of-field teachers in comparison to in-field? What are the consequences of out-of-field teaching? How do these teachers need to be supported?
Paul Richardson (Monash) & Helen Watt (USyd): Presentation | Video
Teacher perspective – Susan Caldis (Geography, Macquarie University): Presentation | Video
Teacher perspective – Lewes Peddell (Maths/Music, Southern Cross Uni): Video
Discipline leader perspective – Tracey Clarke (Maths, Knox Grammar School): Notes | Video
Session 4 THEME 2 School management & leadership
What are the pressures that school leaders face when staffing schools and classrooms, with what implications for the whole school community? How can school improvement policy coordinate approaches to identifying needs, barriers, teacher capacity building, and managing risks associated with out-of-field teaching? How can system-level leadership facilitate the enhancement and enrichment of out-of-field teaching at a school level?
Lin Esders (Queensland Teachers’ union): Presentation | Video
Amanda Heffernan (ASPA): Presentation | Video
Roy Anderson (Catholic Education Office, NT): Presentation | Video
Amanda Heffernan reference: ‘My teacher sucks’: how teacher shortages shatter learning' (Laing, AARE, 2021) https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=10824
The Phil Riley Prins' Health & Wellbeing reports: https://www.principalhealth.org/au/reports.php
Day 2
Session 5 THEME 3 Initial Teacher Education
What opportunities are there in ITE to prepare teachers for the reality of out-of-field teaching in schools? How can we manage the interface between university and school better to better prepare teachers for out-of-field teaching?
Damian Blake (Deakin University): Presentation | Video
Jenny Gore (University of Newcastle): Presentation | Video
Susan Caldis (Macquarie University): Presentation | Video
Damian’s Jobs Ready Package - on the Deakin website: https://www.deakin.edu.au/job-ready-graduates-package
https://www.aitsl.edu.au/research/australian-teacher-workforce-data/atwdreports
https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/atwd/reports/new-pipeline-report/2020_aitsl-atwd_pipelinereport.pdf
Session 6 THEME 4 Teacher registration and accreditation policies
What are the implications of state/territory teacher registration/accreditation policies, practices and requirements for out-of-field teaching? How can a culture of developing, endorsing and credentialing programs for upgrading teacher qualifications in new specialisations be fostered?
John Healey and Karen Ingram (NESA): Presentation | Video
Merrilyn Goos (University of Sunshine Coast): Presentation | Video
Session 7 Evidence informing policy (Government responses)
What evidence is needed to inform which policies? What Government responses are occurring and what else is needed?
Bob Lingard (University of Queensland): Presentation | Video
Penny Addison (Vic Department of Education and Training): Presentation | Video
Janine Wyatt (WA Department of Education): Presentation | Video
ECT attrition written by Janine Wyatt https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0883035521000240?dgcid=rss_sd_all#
Hobbs, Campbell, Delaney, Speldewinde, & Lai (2020). Defining and mapping out-of-field teaching in Victorian Government schools (definition only). Report prepared for the Victorian Department of Education and Training, October 15, 2020.
Session 8 THEME 5 Teacher professional learning
Moderator: Judy Anderson (University of Sydney): Panel Synthesis: Video
PANEL 1. SUBJECT ASSOCIATIONS
STEM subjects:
Sue Colman (Councillor, Science Teachers’ Association of NSW)
Monique Dalli (President, Design and Technology Teachers’ Association of Australia)
Allan Dougan (CEO, Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers Inc.)
HASS/English subjects:
Deb Hull (President, CPTAV; EO, History Teachers’ Association of Victoria)
Kate Gillespie (EO, Victorian Association for the Teaching of English)
Trish Douglas (Chair, Australian Geography Teachers’ Association)
Question 1. How can the professional learning needs of out-of-field teachers at various stages in their careers be recognised and accommodated? Video | Mentimeter
Question 2. What is needed to promote a culture of teacher professional learning and re-specialisation? Video | Mentimeter
Question 3. How can a variety of stakeholders be involved in supporting the professional learning of out-of-field teachers? Video | Mentimeter
PANEL 2. REQUALIFICATION
Renee Desmarchelier (University of Southern Queensland) - Micro credentialing
Russell Tytler (Deakin University) - Requalification courses, Graduate Certificate
Toni Falusi (Computer Science Education Research) - MOOCS
Question 4. How can the balance between professional learning and qualifications be managed, e.g. professional learning, university micro-credentialing and other University offerings? Video | Mentimeter
SMSI - Graduates Certificates of Secondary Mathematics and Science
Day 3
Working documents:
THEME 1 Data Needed to Inform Policy Synthesis
THEME 2 School management & leadership Synthesis
THEME 3 Initial Teacher Education Synthesis
THEME 4 Teacher registration and accreditation policies Synthesis
THEME 5 Teacher professional learning Synthesis
Registration
Registration is closed for the 2021 Summit.
If you are interested in an Out-of-field teaching symposium, find out more about the OOFTAS Collective symposium August 15-16, 2022: Click here
Organising Committee:
Linda Hobbs , Deakin University, Victoria
Anna Du Plessis, Griffith University, Queensland
Helen Watt, University of Sydney, New South Wales
Emily Elizabeth Rochette, University of Melbourne, Victoria
Michael O'Connor, Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute, Victoria
Paul Weldon, Australian Council for Educational Research, Victoria
Paul Richardson, Monash University, Victoria
Susan Caldis, Macquarie University, New South Wales
Colleen Vale, Monash University, Victoria
Claudette Bateup, Australian Capital Territory
Lucinda McKnight, Deakin University
Greg Oates, University of Tasmania, Tasmania
Linda Galligan, University of Southern Queensland, Queensland