Examining the role of the school Professional Experience Coordinator in the NSW Department of Education’s Professional Experience Hub School program : Final report for the NSW Department of Education

This document reports the evidence gathered in a research study that critically examined the role of the school Professional Experience Coordinator in supporting the professional experience component of initial teacher education courses.

The focus of the study was the school Professional Experience Coordinators involved in the 2016-2018 and 2019-2021 cohorts of the NSW Department of Education’s Professional Experience Hub School program. This study was funded by the NSW Department of Education and undertaken under contract by the NSW Council of Deans of Education. The purpose of the Hub Schools has been summarised by the Department’s own Centre for Educational Statistics and Evaluation (2018, p7) as:

Hub Schools have introduced initiatives that are targeted at both preservice teachers and supervising teachers. For preservice teachers, these most commonly include revised supervising models, increased support structures such as induction and orientation sessions, professional learning, and additional resources. For supervising teachers, initiatives include the provision of professional learning and additional support. Initiatives that benefitted partner schools include the provision of professional learning, funding, resources and increased support. Other initiatives and outcomes include revisions to Initial Teacher Education (ITE) course content and modified content delivery.

METHOD
The study was qualitative and used a quasi-narrative approach which collected accounts of the phenomenon in question from the perspective of the participants.

The participants were the 24 Professional Experience Coordinators at the hub schools, their Principals (n=20) and the coordinator of professional experience at their respective partner university (n=12). The research method was appropriate for the research questions as it sought to understand and reflect the specific experiences of these three groups within the specific context of the Professional Experience Hub School program. An evaluation of the Hub School program more broadly is beyond the scope of this study.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The key questions that were addressed through this evaluation are:
1. What is the role of the Professional Experience Coordinator in enhancing professional experience in teacher education?
2. What strategies do Professional Experience Coordinators, Principals and University Coordinators in partner universities see as supporting them to develop and maintain the ongoing quality of the Professional Experience Hub School program?

Executive Summary
Examining the Role of the Professional Experience Coordinator in the NSW Department of Education’s Professional Experience Hub School Program.