Dimensions of engagement in teacher education: From theory to practice

There is a growing body of research highlighting the importance of engagement for students’ success in their tertiary studies. Innovations in both theoretical and practical understandings of student engagement are beginning to emerge, informing discussions across diverse contexts including research centres (such as ACER), conferences, and organisations (such as Engagement Australia). In this context, it is relevant to draw together diverse perspectives and arguments regarding what engagement is and could be, and to consider how a unified framework to understand and plan for engagement can impact practice in teacher education.

This paper begins with an exploration of an Engagement Framework developed for use in the Faculty of Education at the University of Tasmania. This Framework offers a new way of framing engagement in teacher education, drawing attention to the connections between the intellectual environment of the university and the context of the profession. The Framework presents five dimensions of engagement (personal, academic, social, intellectual, and professional) that are distinct and yet interrelated.

The second section of this paper focuses specifically on the academic engagement dimension of the Framework, and explores the ways in which this Framework has led to innovations in teacher education practice both within the curriculum (within specific units of study) and outside of the curriculum (such as Student Engagement Days). These innovations provide examples of the effectiveness of the Engagement Framework as a way of bridging theory and practice, operating as a unifying device within and beyond the curriculum.