The biggest equity issue in Australian education today isn’t computers, new buildings or equipment, according to ACER’s Professor Stephen Dinham. He told education graduands at the University of Southern Queensland last month that the biggest issue is each student having quality teachers and quality teaching in schools supported by effective leadership and professional learning.

“Life isn’t fair, but good teaching and good schools are the best means we have of overcoming disadvantage and opening the doors of opportunity for the young people of Australia,” Professor Dinham said at the graduation ceremony.

Professor Dinham referred to a 2008 report he co-authored, titled Teaching Talent – the best teachers for Australia’s classroom, in which the authors argued that previous attempts to drive improvement in teacher quality and to attract, retain, recognise and reward accomplished teachers had largely failed. They called for a new national approach involving national teaching standards, levels of voluntary certification above the mandatory ‘competent’ level and commensurate financial rewards.

Professor Dinham said “At present, more than three-quarters of Australia’s teachers are at the top of incremental salary scales where they earn approximately one and a half times the salary of a beginning teacher. This difference is too small.”

Professor Dinham offered advice to the aspiring teachers, including: continue professional learning; become better informed, critical consumers of educational research; question the evidence base for what is done and any alternative methods considered; gather and use data in more sophisticated ways; and focus on every student as a learner and a person.

“My own research with successful teachers and schools in a range of countries shows that the best teachers and schools are continually striving to be better,” he said. “Maybe that’s why they are successful.”

Professor Dinham said this is one of the most significant eras in Australian education. “It is also a great time to be going into teaching, particularly if one is looking for a career rather than a job.”

Research Director of the Teaching, Learning and Leadership program at ACER, Professor Stephen Dinham gave the occasional address at the University of Southern Queensland Faculty of Education graduation ceremony in May.

A copy of Professor Dinham’s address is available from the ACER research repository at http://works.bepress.com/stephen_dinham/611/

Teaching Talent – the best teachers for Australia’s classroom, was prepared by ACER researchers for the Business Council of Australia in 2008. It is available from http://works.bepress.com/stephen_dinham/47/    

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