Professional development

NESA scholarship provides $15,000 opportunity for early childhood teachers

Freya Lucas

Jul 28, 2021

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A $15,000 scholarship proudly supported by the NSW Education Standards Authority is on offer to support one New South Wales teacher from an early childhood, primary or secondary school setting to travel during 2022 to study quality teaching.

The scholarship is designed to support teacher accreditation and professional development, to provide resources and evidence to improve practice, and celebrate and acknowledge teacher excellence in NSW. The successful applicant's research may then be incorporated into NESA resources supporting quality teaching across the state.

The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers reflect and build on national and international evidence that a teacher's effectiveness has a powerful impact on students, with broad consensus that teacher quality is the single most important in-school factor influencing student achievement. Continually improving teacher quality is considered an essential part of the NSW Government's efforts to improve student attainment and ensure NSW has a world-class system of education.

Applications by interested teachers may outline how the scholarship would support them to:

Investigate global trends in teacher quality, professional development and mentoring and how these could be applied in NSW schools and/or early childhood services.
Research how high performing systems currently develop, identify and share the knowledge and practice of expert teachers.
Identify the aspects of teaching standards in Australian and international contexts that have been successful in driving widespread quality teaching and investigate key features of their successful implementation.

Research how expert teachers in Australian and international contexts can lead to higher performance by leading professional development.
Investigate the current and emerging themes of quality practice in teaching and professional development across national and international educational contexts.
Research what professional development and mentoring practices are valued by teachers at all career stages and leaders in national and international contexts.

The successful applicant will undertake a study tour and follow-up activities of up to five weeks within Australia, with optional virtual international connections undertaken as appropriate. Study tour travel is to be completed in one block by 30 June 2022, with individual follow-up activities and reporting to be completed within 90 days of study tour completion.

Time may involve formal study (eg, undertaking a short course at a respected tertiary institution) or may involve a program of visits to sites, schools and institutions to conduct interviews, observe exemplary practices and collect resources for the preparation of teaching materials related to the specific scholarship category.

A portion of time (up to one week) should be allocated toward follow-up dissemination activities (eg, experience-sharing, professional learning) within and across NSW, either in-person or virtually. Study tour follow-up activities and outcomes should ideally include specific reference to enhancing rural and regional education.

To apply for this scholarship, or to learn more, please see here. A number of other scholarships are available to NSW early childhood teachers. For more information please see here.

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