The need for formalised structures to support pre-service teachers as they transition into the teaching profession is well documented in the literature. Recent scholarship also calls for the design and implementation of such structures to be informed by the experiences pre-service teachers face as they transition into the teaching profession, and how their perspectives of identity, agency and practice develops during this time. Out-of-field teaching and precarious employment are two known realities of teaching for pre-service teachers as they enter the profession, yet the role of initial teacher education programs in preparing aspiring teachers for such realities is less understood. Moreover, in an Australian context, understanding how to prepare and support pre-service teachers who are teaching geography out-of-field is under-researched, and will situate the current study.
A qualitative study design is adopted to understand how pre-service teachers navigate and respond to the experience of teaching geography as an out-of-field subject; also to understand how support structures could be incorporated into an initial teacher education program. A theoretical frame of Archer’s reflexivity theory is used to understand the nature and responses to factors of enablement and constraint upon practice. A conceptual framing of pedagogy and reflection, using the professional teaching standards for geography is used to understand the teaching of geography.
Participants include final year postgraduate and undergraduate pre-service teachers who are teaching geography as an out-of-field subject. Data was generated by conducting social labs. Activities in the social labs were designed around an explicit theory-practice reflection approach and conceptualised around a recurring question. Data were analysed deductively in response to the theoretical and conceptual frameworks. Research findings will progress understanding about the complexities associated with out-of-field teaching experience in geography and the role of initial teacher education programs in providing support.