Letter to the Editor, Campus News Feb 9-15, 1995.
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Teachers receive and must teach a
set curriculum. Academics are responsible for developing and setting their own material
and examinations. |
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Teachers stand in loco-parentis,
focusing on teaching activities and techniques, providing pastoral care for pupils who are
minor children. Academics have a wider focus which includes the production and
dissemination of new knowldege in addition to mentoring self-motivated adult students who
are responsible for their own learning. |
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Teachers are judged primarily on
teaching performance. Academics are judged on their research and scholarly productivity as
well as teaching performance. |
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Teachers' career paths focus on
teaching and advancement into school adminsitration. Academics' career paths focus on
discovery through research, mentoring and teaching students, and extra-university
community service. |
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While the "end-on" model introduced in some education schools during the past year will potentially upgrade the teaching profession, teachers normally enter their profession with a single qualification, usually a bachelor degree, representing some mix of teaching teory, methods, practice, classroom management and subject knowledge in a broad discipline. In contrast, academics must earn a higher qualification, usually a research degree, in addition to an honours degree, requiring mastery of a substantial body of disciplinary knowledge and the acquisition and demonstration of research knowledge and skill as a condition of employment. |