A national strategy for the professional development of science teachers

The Science Education Professional Development (SEPD) Project was commissioned by the Commonwealth Department of Employment, Education and Training as part of its Projects of National Significance Program. Its brief was to develop a national strategy for enhancing the professional development of science teachers. This paper reports on the project, its background, its strategy, the status of teaching, teacher career structures, teacher qualifications, inservice programs, professional standards, knowledge base for teaching, award restructuring, quality science teaching and learning, and the role of specialist teacher associations.