scholarly journals Strategies Used by UNISA Student Teachers in Teaching English First Additional Language

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Malewaneng Maja ◽  
Masilonyana Motseke
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teaching Strategies ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Interactive Teaching ◽  
Descriptive Case Study ◽  
Bachelor Of Education ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive ◽  
The University

The teaching of English to non-English speakers in historically disadvantaged areas of South Africa is a difficult task for student teachers. This study was conducted in the township schools at Ekurhuleni North District, in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which students at the University of South Africa (UNISA) used interactive teaching strategies in the teaching of English as a First Additional Language (EFAL). The study also intended to highlight the support provided by UNISA lecturers to these student teachers. The study was grounded in interpretivism with self-determination theory (SDT) informing it. The study was a qualitative descriptive case study with document analysis, observations and semi-structured interviews utilised to collect data. Purposive sampling assisted in selecting six student teachers, of which three were male and three were female. The student teachers were studying in their 3rd and 4th years of the Bachelor of Education degree (B.Ed.), specialising in English. Data collected were categorised into codes and themes. The findings reveal that student teachers only used pictures, charts and flashcards as interactive teaching strategies in teaching EFAL. It was concluded that student teachers were not well-prepared in the use of interactive teaching strategies in the teaching of EFAL and were not adequately supported by the university. It is recommended that UNISA lecturers should regularly visit student teachers during their teaching practice offering support, motivation and advice.

Open Distance E-Learning Student Teaching Practice Mentorship Experience in Selected Secondary Schools in South Africa

2019 ◽  
pp. 256-277
Author(s):  
Ailwei Solomon Mawela
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Student Teaching ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The University

Open distance learning (ODeL) approach is used worldwide to offer different qualifications. In studying towards obtaining a teaching qualification at UNISA, students are required to participate in teaching practice sessions before they can obtain their teaching qualification. This study aims at exploring ODeL institution student teachers' teaching practice experience in selected secondary schools in Vhembe District of South Africa. This qualitative single case study employed an interpretivism paradigm and personal theory of teaching practice. Convenient purposive sampling technique was used to sample six (n=6) student teachers from the University of South Africa who were currently conducting teaching practice in secondary schools during this study. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data that was later analyzed through the use of themes and categories. The findings indicate a lack of knowledge, which requires ODeL student teachers to be trained prior teaching practice. Mentor teachers require professional development.

scholarly journals Mentor-Mentee Experiences Amidst COVID-19: A Teaching Practice Case Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-95
Author(s):  
Cias T Tsotetsi ◽  
Selloane A Mile
Keyword(s):  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Collaborative Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Extra Curricular Activities ◽  
The World ◽  
The University ◽  
University Officials

Preparing student teachers for the world of work is seen globally as a challenge. This research aims to explore mentors and mentees experiences in teaching practice during the COVID-19 period. In order to explore the challenge in this study, the following research question guided the paper: What are the teaching practice experiences of mentors and mentees at a school during COVID-19? The research question is a result of limited research done on the experiences of two groups during COVID-19. Informed by the realist social theory, we generated data via telephonic interviews with mentors and mentees in one school. The data was generated through semi-structured Interviews and thematic analysis was a method employed in the analysis of the data. The results present challenges experienced by mentees which, amongst others, include a feeling of inadequacy or a lack of confidence in their abilities to bring about order to the classroom and a feeling of being excluded in meetings and extra-curricular activities. On the other hand, mentors receive mentees without any prior warning or without arrangements made to accommodate them and the absence of the university officials except for assessment. Based on the results, a collaborative approach should be employed to deal with some of the challenges experienced by mentors and mentees.

scholarly journals INTEGRATION OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IN TEACHING PRACTICE AMONG UNIVERSITY TEACHERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (No.2) ◽  
pp. 69-102
Author(s):  
Norul Hidayah Mamat @ Muhammad ◽  
Nik Ahmad Hisham Ismail
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Descriptive Case Study ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
Key Points ◽  
Five Phases ◽  
The University

Purpose – Emotional intelligence abilities of university teachers are more likely to establish suitable emotional teaching and learning environments through their teaching practice, thus promoting learning motivation and engagement among students. Despite the emphasis on the importance of teachers’ emotional intelligence abilities in teaching, it continues to be under-acknowledged and underdeveloped. This is evidenced in a few studies reported on the relationship between emotional intelligence and teaching practice particularly in higher education. Guided by the Four-Branch Emotional Intelligence Ability Model, this study aimed to explore the integration of emotional intelligence in teaching practice among university teachers in higher education. Method – A qualitative design of a descriptive case study was applied on 10 university teachers recruited through purposeful sampling. The data gathered from semi-structured interviews conducted with the university teachers was analyzed through five phases of analysis namely; raw categorization of individual interviewees, group categorization of interviewees, raw key points, refined key points and themes. The credibility and trustworthiness of the data were achieved through prolonged engagement, member check, and interrater reliability. Results – Seven themes namely implementation of structured teaching flow, empathetic pedagogical approach, fostering student learning engagement, consideration of students’ emotions, reflection of university teachers’ characteristics, mutual teaching and learning sessions and meaningful learning sessions were generated. Significance – The study demonstrated the importance of developing emotional intelligence abilities among university teachers as these abilities directly influence teaching and learning processes. In fact, these abilities are subconsciously embedded and demonstrated through teaching practice. Thus training on emotional intelligence needs to be developed by including it as one of the competencies required for university teachers.

scholarly journals Práctica docente de los profesores experimentados y noveles de la licenciatura en Médico General de la UAS / Teaching Practice of Experiencied and New Professors of the Degree General Practitioner of UAS

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-20
Author(s):  
Adriana López Cuevas ◽  
Juan Ruiz Xicoténcatl ◽  
María Concepción Mazo Sandoval ◽  
Dora Yaqueline Salazar Soto
Keyword(s):  
General Practitioner ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Training Needs ◽  
University Education ◽  
Generational Change ◽  
Know How ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
The University ◽  
Formación Docente

ABSTRACTIn the university education is presenting the teaching generational change, the new professors are excellent professionals, but do not know how to teach, it is causing difficulties in the teaching-learning process. The objective was to determine the training needs of novice and experienced professors in the Degree General ´Practitioner in UAS. The methodology was qualitative, descriptive type and socioanthropological approach, in which the Likert survey, interview and observation were used. The results show that the training needs of both professors are in the dimension of teaching, research, time and teacher training.RESUMENEn el ambiente educativo superior se está presentando el relevo generacional docente, los nuevos profesores son excelentes profesionales, pero no saben cómo dar clases, ocasionando dificultades en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. El objetivo, fue determinar las necesidades formativas de los docentes novatos y experimentados en la Licenciatura en Médico General en la UAS. La metodología fue cualitativa, tipo descriptiva y enfoque socioantropológico, en ella se empleó la encuesta tipo Likert, la entrevista y la observación. Los resultados muestran que las necesidades formativas de ambos profesores están en la dimensión de la docencia, la investigación, el tiempo y la formación docente.

Factors affecting the information-seeking behaviour of postgraduate students at the University of South Africa Ethiopia Regional Learning Centre

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 362-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Addisalem Gebrekidan Desta ◽  
Madely du Preez ◽  
Patrick Ngulube
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Electronic Information ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
The University

The purpose of this study was to investigate some of the factors affecting the information-seeking behaviour of postgraduate students registered at the University of South Africa (Unisa) as represented by its Ethiopia Regional Learning Centre, with particular emphasis on their use of electronic information resources. A qualitative case study approach was adopted. In semi-structured interviews, eight conveniently selected postgraduate students shared their information-seeking experiences. The data was analysed thematically. The findings identified contextual and personal factors which gave rise to the respondents’ information needs and in turn prompted information activities such as information seeking. Of these, a lack of ICT infrastructure, frequent interruptions in electricity supply, old computers and the location of the Akaki Branch Library proved to be the main factors affecting postgraduate students’ electronic information-seeking behaviour. The findings showed the effect that inadequate facilities have on postgraduate students’ information behaviour.

scholarly journals Student/teachers from Turfloop: the propagation of Black Consciousness in South African schools, 1972–76

Africa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 89 (S1) ◽  
pp. S189-S209
Author(s):  
Anne Heffernan
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Political Action ◽  
Direct Result ◽  
The Political ◽  
Black Consciousness ◽  
The North ◽  
The Social ◽  
The University ◽  
New Generation

AbstractThe movement of school teachers to primary and secondary schools around South Africa and its Bantustans in the early and mid-1970s was an intentional part of the project of propagating Black Consciousness to school learners during this period. The movement of these educators played a key role in their ability to spread Black Consciousness philosophy, and in the political forms and methods they chose in teaching it. These were shaped by their own political conscientization and training in ethnically segregated colleges, but also in large part by the social realities of the areas to which they moved. Their efforts not only laid the foundation for Black Consciousness organization in communities across South Africa, they also influenced student and youth mechanisms for political action beyond the scope of Black Consciousness politics. This article explores three case studies of teachers who studied at the University of the North (Turfloop) and their trajectories after leaving university. All of these teachers moved to Turfloop as students, and then away from it thereafter. The article argues that this pattern of movement, which was a direct result of apartheid restrictions on where black South Africans could live, study and work, shaped the knowledge they transmitted in their classrooms, and thus influenced the political consciousness of a new generation.

Teacher educators’ visions of pedagogical training within instrumental higher music education. A case in Finland

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marja-Leena Juntunen
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teacher Development ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Vocal Music ◽  
Good Teaching ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Pedagogical Training

The purpose of this study was to examine the visions of teacher educators of instrumental pedagogy (n = 12) in higher music education regarding ‘good’ teaching and instrumental student teacher preparation. The theoretical basis for the study was research on teachers’ visions (Hammerness, 2006): teachers’ own conceptions of ideal teaching practices. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analysed by qualitative content analysis. The interviewed teachers’ visions of good teaching of instrumental pedagogy were closely related to their visions of good teaching of instrumental or vocal music, which they attempted to communicate to their student teachers. The process of teacher development was primarily understood as acquiring a package of skills and knowledge that are partly instrument specific, partly generic, and strongly influenced by the labour market. Teaching practice was considered essential, and was perceived as building connections between theory and practical application. The findings support prior research within Nordic teacher education (Hammerness, 2012), in that faculty members’ visions related to teaching are individual and only partly negotiated with their colleagues.

scholarly journals A tanárképzés fejlesztendő területei a képző intézmények szakmai együttműködésének fényében

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judit Orgoványi-Gajdos ◽  
Ida Zagyváné Szűcs
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Classroom Management ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Group Practice ◽  
Present System ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Students With Special Needs ◽  
Descriptive Case Study ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
The University

Korábbi hazai felmérések rámutattak arra, hogy a pedagógusképzésben résztvevő hallgatók képzéssel kapcsolatos elvárásai nem minden esetben teljesülnek. A jelöltek úgy érzik, az egyetemi képzés nem szentel kellő figyelmet a tanulási-tanítási folyamat hatékony irányításához szükséges szakmai kompetenciák fejlesztésére. Ezek az adatok egybecsengenek a kezdő pedagógusok kihívásaival foglalkozó hazai és nemzetközi kutatásokkal is. Kutatásunk a gyakorlóiskolák tanárképzésben betöltött szerepét és hatékonyságát vizsgálta ún. felderítő típusú esettanulmányon keresztül. A mintát az Eszterházy Károly Egyetem gyakorlóiskolai képzésében résztvevő hallgatók (N=22), az egyetemen tanító szakmódszertanos oktatók (N=16) és a gyakorlóiskolában tanító pedagógusok (N=102) alkották. Mérőeszközeink nyílt és zárt (likert-skálás, egyválasztós, többválasztós) kérdéseket tartalmazó online kérdőívek voltak. Az általuk nyert adatok segítségével leíró és matematikai statisztikai vizsgálatokat végeztünk. A nyílt kérdésekre adott válaszok elemzése tartalomelemzéssel, nyílt kódolással történt, a kategóriák megbízhatóságát intra-kódolás biztosította. Eredményeink szerint a tanárképzés hallgatók által visszajelzett hiányosságainak hátterében számos okok között az intézményen belüli és intézmények közötti szakmai együttműködés hiánya áll. A kölcsönösségen alapuló egyenrangú szakmai együttműködés gondolata sem a gyakorlóiskola pedagógusai sem pedig az egyetemi oktatók nézetrendszerében nem élvez prioritást. A csoportos gyakorlat fő célja a hallgatók egyéni tanítási képességeinek fejlesztése, ugyanakkor azok a képességek, amelyek a szakmai együttműködést tennék lehetővé, nem kapnak kellő figyelmet. Emellett a pedagógusok tanítási-tanulási folyamatra vonatkozó nézeteiben sem jelenik meg domináns fogalomként a szakmai együttműködés. Eredményeink alapján olyan javaslatokat fogalmaztunk meg, amelyek támogatják a hazai pedagógusképzés megújítását. ----- Fields which should be developed in Teacher Education in the mirror of professional cooperation ----- arlier Hungarian researches pointed out that student teachers’ expectations related to Teacher Education have not always been fulfilled. The candidates think that during their university training certain professional competences are not adequately developed. These professional competences are classroom management, supporting students with special needs and cooperation with parents. These data coincide with the results of Hungarian and international studies dealing with challenges which novice teachers have to cope with. Our research examined the role and effectiveness of practice schools in Teacher Education with a descriptive case-study. The sample consisted of student teachers doing their MA courses at Eszterházy Károly University (N=22), university instructors of subject methodology (N=16) and teachers working at the university’s practice school (N=102). Our research tools were online questionnaires containing Likert-scales and open-ended questions. The data were analysed with descriptive and mathematical statistics. The open-ended questions were content analysed with an open coding process of the answers. The reliability of our categories was provided with intra-coding. Our results showed that the one of some weaknesses of the present system is the lack of cooperation between the university and the practice school. The main goal of the school group practice is to improve candidates’ individual skills but those of enhancing collaboration are not developed adequately. Moreover, the lack of cooperation is a relevant issue among school teachers concerning their beliefs related to the teaching-learning process. On the basis of our results we formed some proposals in connection with renewing Hungarian Teacher Education. We hope that our suggestions will help change the student teachers’ group practice and form new foundations of the partnership between the university and the practice school.

scholarly journals (Des)encontros da extensão universitária com a educação popular na Universidade Federal de São Carlos (Encounters and mismatches of university extension with popular education at the Federal University of São Carlos)

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 3951126
Author(s):  
Ana Luiza Salgado Cunha ◽  
Aida Victoria Garcia Montrone ◽  
Glauber Barros Alves Costa
Keyword(s):  
Rio De Janeiro ◽  
Social Process ◽  
Popular Education ◽  
Sao Paulo ◽  
São Paulo ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Educational Processes ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive ◽  
The University ◽  
Extension Result

This article aims to describe and understand extension experiences and their (dis) encounters with Popular Education in a public University, from the perspective of extension project coordinators. It consisted of a qualitative-descriptive research, in which we used documentary and bibliographic review and semi-structured interviews. We dialogue with coordinators (s) in the form of interviews, analyzed by Content Analysis. One of the most significant results obtained was the fact that experience in University Extension can promote formative spaces at the University. Still, the results indicate a complexity of definitions of Extension, result of the historical-social process and; indicate Popular Education as educational praxis that legitimizes people's knowledge. It was possible to apprehend educational processes consolidated in extensionist praxis, such as the search for other conceptions of the world, of knowing and living, as well as the resistance within dominant university logic, problematizing what the University is for.ResumoEste artigo objetiva descrever e compreender experiências extensionistas e seus (des)encontros com a Educação Popular numa Universidade pública, sob a ótica de coordenadoras(es) de projetos extensionistas. Constituiu-se de uma pesquisa de cunho qualitativo-descritivo, para a qual utilizamos revisão documental e bibliográfica e entrevistas semi-estruturadas. Dialogamos com coordenadoras(es) por meio de entrevistas analisadas pela Análise de Conteúdo.  Um dos mais expressivos resultados obtidos foi a constatação de que experiência na Extensão Universitária pode promover espaços formativos na Universidade.  Ainda, os resultados apontam uma complexidade de definições de Extensão, resultado do processo histórico-social e indicam a Educação Popular como práxis educativa que legitima saberes do povo. Foi possível apreender processos educativos consolidados nas práxis extensionistas, como a busca por outras concepções de mundo, de saber e de viver, bem como a resistência dentro de uma lógica universitária dominante, problematizando para que(m) serve a Universidade.Palavras-chave: Processos educativos, Extensão universitária, Educação popular.Keywords: Educational processes, University extension, Popular education.ReferencesARAÚJO-OLIVERA, S. S.. Exterioridade. O outro como critério. In: OLIVEIRA, M. W.; SOUSA, F. R. (orgs.). Processos Educativos em práticas sociais. Pesquisas em educação.  São Carlos: EduFSCar, 2014.BARDIN, L. Análise de conteúdo. Lisboa: Edições 70, 1977.BEZERRA, P. Polifonia. In: Brait, Beth (Org.). Bakhtin: conceitos-chave. Rio de Janeiro: Contexto, 2005.BRANDÃO, C. R.; ASSUMPÇÃO, Raiane. Cultura Rebelde – escritos sobre a educação popular de ontem e agora. São Paulo: Editora e Livraria Instituto Paulo Freire, 2009.CASTRO, L. M. C. A universidade, a extensão universitária e a produção de conhecimentos emancipadores: ainda existem utopias realistas. UFB: Rio de Janeiro, 2004 (tese de doutorado).CUNHA, A. L. S. A experiência como prática formativa de estudantes na Extensão Universitária. Dissertação de mestrado. Universidade Federal de Viçosa, março de 2013.DARON, V. A educação popular e saúde como referencial para nossas práticas na saúde. In: BRASIL. Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Gestão estratégica e Participativa. II Cadernos de Educação Popular em Saúde. Brasília: Ministério da Saúde. 2011, p. 123-146.DUSSEL, E. 1492: o encobrimento do outro – a origem do mito da modernidade. São Paulo: Vozes, 1993.DUSSEL, E. Oito ensaios sobre cultura latino-americana e libertação. São Paulo: Paulinas, 1997.DUSSEL, E. Transmodernidad e interculturalidad (interpretación desde la filosofia de la libertación). México City: UAM, 2005.DUSSEL, E. Ética da libertação na idade da globalização e da exclusão. 2ª edição. Petrópolis: Vozes, 2003.DUSSEL, E. A pedagógica latino-americana (a Antropológica II). In: DUSSEL, E. Para uma ética da libertação latino americana III: erótica e pedagógica. São Paulo: Loyola; Piracicaba: UNIMEP, s/d, p.153-281, 2001.DUSSEL, E.   20 teses de política. São Paulo: Expressão Popular, 2007.FAGUNDES, J. Universidade e Compromisso Social. Extensão, limites e perspectivas. Campinas: Universidade Estadual de Campinas. 170p. (Tese de Doutorado), 1985.FIORI, J. L. Educação e Política. Textos escolhidos. Volume 2. 2. Ed. Porto Alegre: Editora da UFRGS, 2014.FREIRE, P. Considerações em torno do ato crítico de estudar. In: FREIRE, P. Ação Cultural para a Liberdade e outros escritos. 6. ed. Rio de Janeiro: Paz e Terra, 1982, p. 9-12.FREIRE, P. Pedagogia da Autonomia: saberes necessários à prática educativa. 3 ed. São Paulo: Paz e Terra. 1997.GURGEL, M. R. Extensão Universitária: Comunicação ou Domesticação? São Paulo: Cortez, Universidade Federal do Ceará, 1986.JARA, O. H.; FALKEMBACH, M. F. Educação Popular e sistematização de experiências. In: STRECK; ESTEBAN, M. T. (orgs). Educação Popular: lugar de construção social coletiva. Petrópolis, RJ: Vozes, 2013.JOSSO, M. C. Experiências de Vida e Formação. São Paulo: Cortez, 2004.MEJÍA, M. R. Educação e pedagogias críticas a partir do sul: cartografias da educação popular. São Carlos: Pedro e João Editores, 2018.MINAYO, M. C. de S. Ciência, técnica e arte: o desafio da pesquisa social. In: MINAYO, M. C. de S.; DESLANDES, O. C. N.; GOMES, R. (Org.). Pesquisa social: teoria, método e criatividade. 21. ed. Petrópolis, RJ: Vozes, 1994, p. 9-29.OLIVEIRA, M. W.; GONÇALVES E SILVA, P. B.; GONÇALVES JUNIOR, L.; MONTRONE, A. V. G.; JOLY, I. Processos educativos em práticas sociais. Reflexões teóricas e metodológicas sobre a pesquisa educacional em espaços sociais. In: OLIVEIRA, M. W.; SOUSA, F. R. (orgs.). Processos Educativos em práticas sociais. Pesquisas em educação.  São Carlos: EduFSCar. 2014.SANTOS, B. S. A Universidade do Século XXI: para uma reforma democrática e emancipatória da Universidade. 3.ed. Questões da Nossa Época. V.11. São Paulo: Cortez, 2010.SANTOS, B. S. Para um novo senso comum: a ciência, o direito e a política na transição paradigmática. V.1. A crítica da razão indolente – Contra o desperdício da experiência. 7. ed. – São Paulo: Cortez, 2009.SANTOS, B. S. Pela Mão de Alice – o social e o político na pós-modernidade. São Paulo: Cortez, 2001.SOUSA, A. L. A História da Extensão Universitária. Campinas: Alínea, 2010.TUTTMAN, M. T. Compromisso social da universidade: olhares da extensão. Rio de Janeiro, 2004.VÁZQUEZ, A. S. Filosofia da práxis. 2 ed. Rio de Janeiro: Paz e Terra, 1977.e3951126

scholarly journals Primary specialisations in Australia: graduates’ perceptions of outcome and impact

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Main ◽  
M. Byrne ◽  
J. J. Scott ◽  
K. Sullivan ◽  
A. Paolino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Primary Teacher ◽  
Advisory Group ◽  
Australian Government ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Mixed Methods Case Study ◽  
Bachelor Of Education ◽  
The University

AbstractIn 2014, the Australian Government established the Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG) to advise on how teacher education programmes could ensure new teachers were adequately prepared for the classroom. Following this, the Australian Government endorsed a key recommendation of the TEMAG Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers report, the inclusion of specialisations in primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE). This research was conducted at an Australian public university that, in 2016, had embedded specialisations in a revised primary teacher programme structure and was one of the first ITE institutions in Australia to graduate primary teachers with a specialisation. Using a mixed-methods case study design with convenience sampling, this study sought to investigate these primary graduates’ perceptions of undertaking a specialisation in relation to the development of content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge in the specialist area, as well as perceived employment advantages. This research took place over 4 years with participants having completed a Bachelor of Education (Primary) at least three months prior to participating. The participants reported benefits to having completed a primary specialisation but expressed concerns about their preparedness to teach their specialisation and whether it would result in any advantages for employment. Recommendations from the participants included teaching practice in their area of specialisation, consideration of specialist skills and changing the timetabling of the specialisation in the programme. Ultimately, there is a need for ongoing research in this area to determine the extent to which primary specialisations deliver the intended outcomes and impacts at both the policy driver level and the university level.

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