It’s Not About the Money: STEM Professionals’ Motivations to Become Secondary School Teachers Through Alternative Entry Teacher Education Pathways

Abstract

Teacher shortage is a global problem. One strategy adopted in several countries to help address the shortfall of teachers is to employ career-change teachers, sometimes through alternative entry pathways, which allow aspiring teachers to teach in a school, while simultaneously working towards their teacher qualification. Teachers of STEM subjects, including mathematics, technology, physics, chemistry, biology, and generalist science, are in short supply in many schools, especially in low SES, disadvantaged, rural, and remote schools. This paper draws upon interview and survey data with Australian teachers at the beginning, middle, and completion of their 2-year employment-based pathway to a ..