An Australian story : pre-service teachers' perceptions of the value of mandatory Aboriginal studies teacher education subjects

This study capitalised on recent developments in espoused theory and theory in action, by applying these theories to critically analyse the espoused and actual value, nature, success and impact upon pre-service teachers' self-concepts, of mandatory Aboriginal Studies primary teacher education subjects. The aims of this study were to: 1) elucidate the impact of core Aboriginal Studies courses on pre-service teachers' self-concepts, values and attitudes, commitment and ability to understand and teach Aboriginal Studies to all Australian students; and 2) identify the institutional factors, course characteristics and personal experiences that pre-service teachers espouse as impacting on their self-concepts, values and attitudes, knowledge, skills, and commitment, to teach Aboriginal Studies. Participants were student teachers from Australian teacher education institutions in the final year of their primary teacher education course that had undertaken a core Aboriginal Studies teacher education subject. This paper concentrated on one of the institutions in the study. Participants (N=47) completed a survey seeking a written response to a series of structured questions addressing the aims of the study. Findings were analysed using NVivo to explore theories and interpretate data in order to identify factors that impact both positively and negatively on student teachers' self-concepts in relation to teaching Aboriginal Studies and Aboriginal students.