Amplifying organisational discourses to the public: media narratives of Teach for Australia, 2008-2020

Chan, S. S. W., Thomas, M. A.M. and Mockler, N. (2023) Amplifying organisational discourses to the public: media narratives of Teach for Australia, 2008-2020. British Educational Research Journal, 49(2), pp. 231-247. (doi: 10.1002/berj.3840)

Abstract

Alternative teacher education programmes have emerged in many countries as a new approach to recruiting, educating and placing teachers in underperforming schools. The media plays an important role in framing perceptions of these programmes and their teachers, including in Australia, but this has not been the subject of significant research to date. This study examines how one alternative teacher education programme—Teach For Australia (TFAus)—has been positioned and framed within the news media since its inception. It critically analyses the portrayal of TFAus and concomitant educational discourses to explore their connection to larger issues surrounding teacher education and teaching quality. Drawing on an analysis of 122 print/online media articles, we identify narratives related to prestige, benevolence and the ‘alternative’ nature of the programme, alongside a narrative critical of TFAus. Despite this critical narrative, in investigating and opening up a dialogue on the perceptions and depictions of TFAus, we posit that the programme—although controversial in nature—has generally benefited from print media coverage, advancing its reputation as a major contributor to education reform and champion of educational equity.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Thomas, Dr Matthew
• Authors: Chan, S. S. W., Thomas, M. A.M., and Mockler, N.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Education
• Journal Name: British Educational Research Journal
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 0141-1926
• ISSN (Online): 1469-3518
• Published Online: 02 December 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 The Author
• First Published: First published in British Educational Research Journal 49(2): 231-247
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons licence