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Introduction
Professional experience is a core component of initial teacher education courses, yet
how we analyse practice is the topic of much discussion in academic circles
(Grossman, 2016 ). In this chapter, we present two paired placement models that
were implemented to better prepare preservice teachers for the classroom.
Internationally, discussion remains focused on what is the best way to organise the
core practice of professional experience in the curriculum and pedagogy of teacher
education (Grossman, 2016 ). In Australia, professional experience in initial teacher
education also continues to be a challenging aspect of teacher education courses in
universities (Bloomfield, 2010 ; Le Cornu, 2010 ). There is constant political pres-
sure and demand for a higher level of accountability especially in the professional
experience component of initial teacher education (Ewing, Lowrie, & Higgs, 2010 ;
Sim, 2006 ; White, Bloomfield, & Le Cornu, 2010 ). Most recently the Teacher
Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG, 2014 ) review into initial teacher
education (ITE) in Australia resulted in a series of recommendations, most of which
have been adopted by the Federal Government (Department of Education and
Training, 2015 ), several of which concern the professional experience component
of initial teacher education.
It is now mandated through the national leadership body, the Australian Institute
for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), that teacher educators provide
improved and structured professional experience that meets quality assurance stan-
dards (AITSL, 2015a). In the ideal situation, partnerships between universities and
schools can provide collaborative, reflective and authentic high-quality experiences
for preservice teachers. The tension lies in the minimal level of control universities
have over what occurs within the school gates. Responding to these circumstances,
we as teacher educators have implemented two different paired placement models
to enhance preservice teachers’ professional learning during professional experi-
ence. The theory underpinning each model indicates that paired placement enhances
dialogue and promotes reflective practice. In this respect preservice teachers
embrace collaborative learning using peers as an additional source of learning and
support. There is also evidence that paired placements complement the professional
experience of the supervising teachers through a triadic approach to teaching, learn-
ing and reflective practice. This will be elaborated further in this chapter when we
present our individual models.
The model of teacher education in Australia has predominantly been one where
preservice teachers are provided with theoretical courses at university and then
classroom experience in a ‘master-apprentice’ model (Mattsson, Eilertsen, &
Rorrison, 2011 , pp. 8–9). Professional experiences in these programs rely on the
guidance of supervising teachers and/or supervisors from the university who may or
may not perform a mentoring role. For this reason, we will use the term supervising
teacher throughout this chapter and university mentor where appropriate. There are
many issues documented related to this model such as variability in mentoring qual-
ity from the supervising teachers (Smagorinsky, Cook, Moore, Jackson, & Fry,
C. Lang and H.T.M. Nguyen