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Teacher Education in Austria Peter Posch1 Introduction This article first specifies some salient social challenges for teacher education in Austria. In the second part central features of the Austrian educational system are sketched. In part 3 the Austrian pre-service education of teachers is described and critically discussed. Part 4 presents options for the reform of initial teacher education in Austria. In the final section the state of in-service teacher education is elaborated upon, on the basis of recent data and suggestions for reform are presented.
1. Requirements of a modern structure of Teacher Training A modern structure of teacher training has to offer timely answers to changes in society and to rapidly growing challenges for schools (Czerwenka & Rahm, 2007; Fend, 2009; Posch & Altrichter, 2009; Thonhauser, 2009). Its aim is not blind adaptation to apparent necessities and to the interests of various pressure groups but an empowerment of the teachers to judge the implications of social change, to actively support or critique them and to exert influence on them. The occupational image of the teaching profession changes. The knowledge explosion increases the importance of knowledge management and of self-regulated knowledge acquisition. The requirements regarding selection and presentation of learning content are rising as well. The heterogeneity of pupil groups is rapidly increasing. It requires a re-conceptualisation of the tasks of teachers (Messner, 2009) and new competences in initiating and supporting self-directed learning: The more diverse the prerequisites of the learner the more important it is: To open different routes of access to knowledge, To provide space and opportunities for self-directed learning, 1
Peter Posch, Professor of Education, Alpen Adria University of Klagenfurt, Austria, Peter.Posch@uni-klu.ac.at. 61
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To win pupils over for the aims of instruction and to involve them as coproducers of educational achievements. Instruction and education are traditional tasks of schooling. Due to dramatic changes in the socialisation of children educative tasks and the “transmission” of values have gained in importance, especially as traditional self evidences regarding authority relationships, manners and communication patterns are being called into question. The individualistic conception of the teacher’s tasks, focussed on his or her own instructional activities is being enlarged to include the responsibility to actively participate in the further development of his or her school. Competences in communication, conflict management, project planning as well as in organisational and administrative work have gained importance. Continuous professional development and in-service education have emerged from a personal option to a necessary prerequisite for professional work. The study of the Educational Sciences (School Pedagogy, Educational Psychology and Educational Sociology) on an academic level have gained in importance because the demands teachers are confronted with go far beyond the transmission of subject matter knowledge. The multiplicity of demands teachers are confronted with need a sustainable basic “endowment” of knowledge and competences which enables them to further develop their professionalism on the job. The growing complexity of educational work on one side and the accountability to the public on the other can only be coped with if teachers are able and willing to systematically reflect on their work and its situative context and if they have research experience (Posch, 2008). The outstanding characteristics of the extended professional is according to Lawrence Stenhouse (1985: 144) “a capacity for autonomous professional self-development through systematic self-study, through the study of the work of other teachers and through the testing of ideas by classroom research procedures". It is important therefore that students experience already during their initial training an experimental attitude towards their own practice and that they get involved in educational research. Both a professional understanding of teacher education as well as public demand call for intensive efforts in educational research (see Kansanen, 2006; Planungs- und Evaluierungskommission, 2000). Beginning teachers should be able to understand the results and the credibility of relevant research as well as the functions, conditions of use and pitfalls of different research methods, and they should get familiar with systematic reflection on action (Altrichter, et al., 2009). This implies an institutional infrastructure which allows students to participate in research and to test simple research methods with respect to 62
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their own teaching practice and that teacher educators have ample research experience (including action research) and that teachings and research are interlinked.
2. Notes on the structure of the school system in Austria In order to understand the system of teacher education at least a sketchy impression of the school system appears to be necessary. According to Statistik Austria (2009: 22) 84.9% of children aged three to five went to kindergarten in 2007/08 (70.2% aged 3; 80.4% aged 4 and 93.4% aged 5). Kindergarten is optional and has to be paid for. However, compulsory and free Kindergarten for children aged 5 is being introduced in 2009. From age six to ten children attend primary school (Volksschule, ISCED 12), from ten to 14 lower secondary school, and from 14 to 18/19 they go to upper secondary school. Another option is to leave school altogether at 15 after one year of pre-vocational training (Polytechnische Schule, ISCED 2). In this case they have to undergo three more years of part-time training in vocational schools combined with an apprenticeship at a company (dual system, ISCED 3C). At the age of ten, children in Austria are separated to either continue their education in the regular lower secondary school (Hauptschule, ISCED 2), or in the Gymnasium (grammar school, lower secondary level, ISCED 2), which is a more academic type of school. Pupils at Gymnasium can continue their education in the same school for eight more years (upper secondary level, ISCED 3A) and finish it with the leaving examination (Matura). This examination offers them access to all university study programmes in this country (some with additional entry examinations). Less academic-oriented forms of upper secondary schools also offer the leaving examination. These vocational education and training (VET) schools are attended by those pupils that have attended Hauptschule or have left the Gymnasium after four years. The vocationally oriented middle and upper secondary schools mostly last for three (ISCED 3C) to five years (ISCED 3A) and offer programs in business, technical fields or kindergarten pedagogy. The long forms do not only grant university access (Matura) but also job qualifications at the same time. There also exists a separate upper secondary form of the Gymnasium (Oberstufenrealgymnasium, ISCED 3A) that is mostly attended by former pupils of the regular secondary school and by those dropping out of the long-term Gymnasium after four years. Although originally intended, the Austrian Gymnasium is no longer 2
According to the definitions of the International Standard Classification in Education http://www.uis.unesco.org/TEMPLATE/pdf/isced/ISCED_A.pdf [Accessed 10 August 2009]. The categorszation in national documents is not always consistent. 63
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an elite institution whose only objective is to prepare its pupils for successful university studies. In large urban areas more than 60% of all pupils attend at least four years of Gymnasium. Only recently and politically heavily disputed, a kind of comprehensive school (Neue Mittelschule, ISCED 2) has been introduced as a pilot project.
3. Pre-service Teacher Education in Austria Teacher education in Austria has gone through major reforms in the past 40 or so years: In 1963 the traditional teacher seminars (ISCED 3B) preparing teachers for compulsory schools were transformed into teacher training academies (ISCED 5B). In 2005 the teacher training academies were transformed into university colleges of teacher education (ISCED 5A). These and other (e.g. curricular) reforms sustained a traditionally high level of teaching quality in Austrian schools. Research and comparative studies (such as TIMSS and PISA), however, showed increasing problems in coping with new demands on teachers resulting from changes in society. And only recently, the need to further develop the quality of teacher education culminated in substantial attempts to restructuring the educational system including teacher training (Interview with the Minister of Education in Salzburger Nachrichten, 30 August 2009: 3). Teacher education in Austria is heavily fragmented and there are considerable differences among teacher categories regarding training level, salary and social standing (Mayr & Neuweg 2009: 108). It corresponds to the fragmentation and complexity of the educational administration. Legislative and administrative responsibilities for schools are split on three levels: Ministry of Education, Provincial Authorities and Municipal Authorities. Teachers of primary and regular schools, e.g. are employed by the provincial administration (but paid by the Ministry of Education), whereas gymnasium teachers are federal employees. There are also different employment and service regulations for these teacher categories. The training of kindergarten teachers has received increased public attention after the unsatisfactory PISA results in reading (showing that 21.5% pupils are at risk in reading competence; http://www.bifie.at/pisa-ergebnisse-2006 [Accessed 10 June 2009] However, training still takes place in five year upper secondary vocational schools (Bildungsanstalt für Kindergartenpädagogik, ISCED 3A). The schoolleavingexamination (Matura) of this type of school entitles graduates to apply for a job as kindergarten teacher or to continue studies in a higher education institution. According to Austrian law kindergarten is not part of the school system. The training 64
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institutions for kindergarten teachers are therefore not (yet) considered as part of teacher education. Two institutions are responsible for actual teacher education: university training colleges (Pädagogische Hochschulen, ISCED 5A) and universities (ISCED 5A). There are 9 public and 5 private (church-owned) university training colleges in Austria and 15 universities which offer teacher education programme (including those universities that offer teacher education in only few subject areas (such as technical universities or universities of music or applied arts). In 2005 the university training colleges were upgraded from former training colleges (Pädagogische Akademien, ISCED 5B). These institutions are now legally obliged to do applied research in Education (“berufsfeldbezogene Forschung”) and to link teaching to research (§18(5) of the College Act, 2005; Jonak & Münster, 2006: 75). However, their status is still quite different from universities. Universities offer diploma studies and university training colleges offer a baccalaureate. Universities are relatively independent institutions whereas university colleges of teacher education are subordinate agencies of the Ministry of Education. They are governed by a College Council of five persons (Hochschulrat), appointed by the regional (3) and central (2) political administration.
4. Teacher Training at University Colleges of Teacher Training Teachers who intend to obtain a teaching certificate for primary school (Volksschule, ISCED 1), regular secondary school (Hauptschule, ISCED 2), prevocational school (ISCED 2), special education (grades 1-9), vocational compulsory (ISCED 3C) or vocational middle and upper secondary schools (ISCED 3C and 3A with the exception of commercial upper secondary schools) have to attend university colleges of teacher education. Applicants are required to have obtained a school leaving certificate of an upper secondary school (Matura) or have to pass a General Educational Development (GED) test (Studienberechtigungsprüfung). In addition they are required to go through a self-assessment procedure, an orientation workshop and a counseling interview. These procedures are organised differently in different colleges. The selective effect of the procedures is doubtful, as rejections are extremely rare (Mayr & Neuweg, 2009: 105). An OECD report concludes that “Austria could afford to be much more selective in who enters teacher education and the profession” (Dellanoy, 65