1. EDCX246: University Unit for Pre-service Teachers
Dr Tiffany Jones
AUSTRALIA
TEACHER TRAINING AND SUPPORT
Background
Results
Conclusion
The “Society and Education” Unit EDCX246 is a required unit for several teacher education degrees (primary and secondary) at the University of New England, Australia. This subject introduces teachers to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (GLBTIQ) issues in schools within a broader sociology of education approach. We train teachers to recognise their assumptions about GLBTIQs; and to implement critical and post-modern pedagogical approaches to sex, gender and sexuality in schools.
This unit is the third most highly ranked course in the University of New England, and has consistently been the most highly ranked education unit by students (pre-service teachers) in the School of Education for the past three years.
The unit was commended for having the lowest attrition rates at UNE.
Key elements to the success of the unit included not labelling the unit directly as on GLBTIQ issues in its title or description, as conservative pre-service teachers will find such themes off-putting without support, and ensuring all GLBTIQ topics were introduced with policies and research.
All lectures are very interactive with fun inquiry-based experiments (learning of theory is applied to dress-up activities, making videos/ dances, role-playing different teaching options).
The issues are made personal to the teachers’ own beliefs and real school experiences.
Related lesson-development skills are taught and assessed, so all teachers finish with clear plans and resources.
The unit now has additional online and holiday trimester versions to increase participants, and will likely be made a required unit in more education degrees next year. The unit shows that even in relatively conservative rural contexts and even in online training contexts with no face-to-face sessions, teachers can be trained to not only accept professional duties of care to GLBTIQ students, but to embrace and enjoy complex approaches for their inclusion across various curricula. In their surveys the teachers most valued learning very practical skills, being shown how to make these issues fun.
Description
The teachers assess their own beliefs as conservative, liberal, critical or post-modern. Across 12 lecture and tutorial sessions, teachers experiment with critical and post-modern theories around sex, gender and sexual orientation. The three assessments require teachers to apply these theories to their experiences at school, their own puberty/ sex education resources, and their own lesson development/ teaching plans.
“The subject is one of my favourites so far- it was genuinely interesting and applicable to life, I have mentioned so many things from the course to family and friends.”
Pre-service Teacher from the external unit 2013, Unit Teaching ranked 4.96/5.
“This unit was incredibly stimulating!!!
It made you think outside of the box and become aware of some biases that you may have, which in turn allows you to compensate for this and break out of the stereotypes. It also gave you an insight into sexual education which I haven't got from any other unit.”
Pre-service Teacher from the internal unit 2014, Unit Teaching ranked 4.95/5.
“This has been the most rewarding subject
I have ever undertaken, and has forced me to question and challenge some of my personal views and principles.”
Post from student Alana Cafe in 2015 external unit.
Image from Pre-service teacher training
University of New England campus
Contact
Other recent publications
Dr. Tiffany Jones
University of New England
Jones, T., Gray, E. and Harris, A GLBTIQ teachers in Australian education policy: protections, suspicions, and restrictions. Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning. Vol 14, No. 3.
Jones, T., and Hillier, L The Erasure of Bisexual Students in Australian Education Policy and Practice. Journal of Bisexuality. 14 (1). Jones, T Comparing rural and urban education contexts for GLBTIQ students. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education. Accepted 12 March 2014.
Jones, T. (2013). Understanding Education Policy. Dordrecht: Springer.
Jones, T. and Hillier L Comparing Trans-Spectrum and Same-sex-Attracted Youth in Australia: Increased Risks, Increased Activisms. Journal of LGBT Youth, Vol. 10, No. 4.
Jones, T How sex education research methodologies frame GLBTIQ students. Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning, Vol 13, No. 6.
Jones, T. and Hillier L Sexuality education school policy for GLBTIQ students. Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning, Vol. 12, No. 4.
Hillier, L., Jones, T., Monagle, M. et al Writing themselves in 3: the third national study on the sexual health and wellbeing of same sex attracted and gender questioning young people. Melbourne, La Trobe University.