Innovations in Australian Early Childhood Teacher Education

In Australia, early childhood teacher education is a growing field to support the large demand for quality early childhood teachers. As such, innovative ways have had to be found for delivery and pathways to become early childhood teachers. In this chapter, we look at two innovations from two different higher education institutions around early childhood teacher education. In the first example, a pathway for qualified primary and secondary teachers to become early childhood teachers is shared, showing how skills and knowledge previously learnt in primary and secondary teaching can be drawn upon to support teaching in early childhood education. In the second example, a one-year Graduate Diploma has experienced high enrolments, increasing by 400% each year, especially from onshore international students. The main pathway into the Graduate Diploma is via a previous degree, in any discipline, which is attractive to applicants wanting a career change and the international cohort of applicants. A second pathway is admission via the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and five of the last seven years working as an early childhood leader. Finding ways for the international graduates to stay in Australia to teach in the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector would significantly add to the pool of qualified ECEC teachers. Overall, the two case studies highlight innovative ways for supporting the pipeline of early childhood teachers in Australia by drawing on alternate ways for entry. This also allows more diversity of experience to enter the early childhood profession. We advocate for greater expansion of these alternate pathways across Australia to develop the early childhood education profession across Australia.