A comparison of the Bachelor of Learning Management and the Bachelor of Education programs in the context of a knowledge economy

In 2000, Central Queensland University developed a new teacher education program intended to reflect the needs of an emerging Knowledge Economy: the Bachelor of Learning Management (BLM). The BLM is based on a set of propositions about society and teacher education that fit an analysis of societal change from Industrial society to a Knowledge Society. It is constructed around a knowledge base aimed at preparing graduates, who are 'workplace ready' and 'futures orientated'. Further, the BLM attempts to accomplish these capabilities in an organization and management partnership model with major employers. These deliberately structured elements of the BLM are different to those of the conventional Central Queensland University, Bachelor of Education (BEd) model of teacher education. The thesis tests the proposition that the BLM will have different outcomes and that graduates will exhibit different qualities when compared to the BEd program.

Therefore, in this thesis, these two teacher education models (i.e. BLM and BEd), which were both offered at the same University, are compared. More specifically, the proposition tested is that a change in the rationale, content, and delivery of a pre-service teacher education model results in different knowledge, behavioural, and attitudinal outcomes in graduates. The proposition was tested using a total sample of 221 graduate students from each of the BLM and BEd programs.

A mixed-methods approach was undertaken to investigate the research problem. A closed questionnaire with Likert scales was administered to 221 graduate students and 153 in-school practicum mentors. Likert scale responses were analyzed using factor and path analysis techniques. A further 85 mentors participated in a series of semi-structured interviews. These research techniques enabled the 'workplace ready' and 'futures-orientated' capabilities to be authenticated by graduate students and school-based mentors.

The thesis revealed three major findings. First, graduate student capabilities are enhanced when the intervening variables of 'workplace readiness', 'partnerships' and 'future orientation' operate in a teacher preparation program. Second, the BLM program contributed more to the capabilities of BLM graduates when compared to those of the BEd program, in the same university. Third, in-school practicum mentors of pre-service education students tend to favour teacher-centred activities that are embedded in the here and now. This predilection restricts the scope graduates students have to experience and explore 'futures orientation' capabilities while in schools.

The study reveals that an emphasis on workplace readiness and futures orientations in a teacher education program, when organised as a partnership with the teaching industry, has the potential to generate new capabilities in graduate teachers compared to those of previous teacher education programs.