Western Australian graduate teacher perceptions of teacher performance assessments

Janine E Wyatt
Department of Education, Western Australia
Caroline Mansfield and Paula Mildenhall
Edith Cowan University, Australia

This study examined the views of 1593 first-year graduates from five Western Australian universities concerning three nationally endorsed teacher performance assessment (TPA) instruments. Quantitative and qualitative data obtained through the Department of Education Western Australia's annual first year graduate teacher surveys from 2021-2023 was used. Study findings revealed that overall, most graduates were satisfied that the TPA supported their classroom readiness and understanding of the graduate level of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, and that mentors/supervisors played a critical role in these perceptions. We recommend incorporating the first-year graduates' insights into the refinement of TPAs. Our study advocates for ensuring that mentors/supervisors are willing and well-equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviours to take on this role, the development and implementation of national mentoring standards, and for larger national cross-TPA studies to strengthen the evidence supporting the quality of initial teacher education.
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Authors: Janine E. Wyatt (corresponding author) is a Principal Consultant Workforce Planning, Workforce Policy and Coordination, Department of Education Western Australia (151 Royal Street, East Perth WA 6004, Australia). Her research interests include teacher workforce supply and demand focusing on teacher education reforms, attrition and retention of early-career and mid-career teachers. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1519-3899 Email: janinewyatt57@gmail.com Professor Caroline Mansfield is the Executive Dean of the School of Education at Edith Cowan University, Western Australia. With over 20 years of experience in higher education as an educator, researcher, and leader, she has developed an internationally recognised research profile centred on teacher resilience, teacher wellbeing and early career teacher experiences. Her research has generated findings that have been translated into online resources, significantly benefiting the wellbeing of both pre-service and practising teachers in Australia and abroad. A recipient of an Australian Learning and Teaching Fellowship in 2016, she has led national and international teams to foster innovation in higher education curricula and enhance student experiences. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8984-2508 Email: c.mansfield@ecu.edu.au Associate Professor Paula Mildenhall, School of Education, Edith Cowan University, Western Australia, has over 30 years of experience in teaching and leadership roles across primary and tertiary education sectors in Australia and internationally, including Saudi Arabia and the UK. She holds a PhD in mathematics education. Her research interests lie primarily in the areas of mathematics and STEM education within primary schools and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Paula is particularly skilled in video research methodology and case study research approaches. Her notable contributions to the academic literature explore innovative teaching practices and the integration of social justice agendas in STEM education. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7265-6744 Email: p.mildenhall@ecu.edu.au Please cite as: Wyatt, J. E., Mansfield, C. & Mildenhall, P. (2025). Western Australian graduate teacher perceptions of teacher performance assessments. Issues in Educational Research, 35(3), 1308-1325. http://www.iier.org.au/iier35/wyatt-2.pdf