Exploring alternate technology teacher education models: some preliminary findings

Partly the result of necessity and partly the result of research opportunities and expected synergies, the Southern Cross University has signed a minimum three year alliance to enable it to deliver university education to undergraduate Design and Technology (DandT)1 pre-service teachers at a local independent high school. The alliance is an internal Innovations and Development Grant project of Southern Cross University (SCU) with Bishop Druitt College (BDC) that seeks to utilise real school facilities and interactions to deliver its practical units of study usually after school hours. Many interesting pedagogy, research and strategic advantages have already emerged that provide positive signs for the future of the alliance and possible expansion into other local schools. It is a model that appears to offer greater flexibility and educational value than the current trend to join Universities with other sectors. These include significant reduction of course facilities costs, improved course administration and management efficiencies, enriched teaching settings, reduced teacher practicum costs, increased local awareness and regional commitment to the course among school teachers and students and richer and more creative exchange of intellectual property and research effort potential. In short, there is a case for schools and universities to form alliances in technology teacher education where there is enhanced similarities of institutional cultures, flexibilities and interest in pedagogical and epistemological pursuits. The paper examines the evolving model.