Evidence-Based Classroom and Behaviour Management Content in Australian Pre-service Primary Teachers’ Coursework: Wherefore Art Thou? - Article 1

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jasmine

Beginning teachers often report feeling underprepared by their teacher education programs in classroom and behaviour management (CBM). This article examines how prevalent evidence-based CBM practices are within Australian undergraduate primary teacher coursework. Empirical research supported a set of CBM practices, then CBM models in university courses and prescribed texts were reviewed for inclusion. Findings show evidence-based CBM practices were rarely incorporated, shaping beginning teachers’ knowledge and confidence.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background and problem statement

Evidence-based CBM definition and scope

Research rationale and evidence base

Implications and findings overview

Australian Journal of Teacher Education | Volume 39 | Issue 4 | Article 1 | | --- | --- | 2014 Evidence-Based Classroom and Behaviour Management Content in Australian Pre-service Primary Teachers' Coursework: Wherefore Art Thou? Sue C. O'Neill University of New South Wales, [sue.oneill@unsw.edu.au](sue.oneill@unsw.edu.au) Jennifer Stephenson Macquarie University Special Education Centre, [jennifer.stephenson@mq.edu.au](jennifer.stephenson@mq.edu.au) Recommended Citation O'Neill, S. C., & Stephenson, J. (2014). Evidence-Based Classroom and Behaviour Management Content in Australian Pre-service Primary Teachers' Coursework: Wherefore Art Thou?. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 39 (4). Retrieved from [http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol39/iss4/1](http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol39/iss4/1) This Journal Article is posted at Research Online. [http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol39/iss4/1](http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol39/iss4/1) Australian Journal of Teacher Education Evidence-Based Classroom and Behaviour Management Content in Australian Pre-service Primary Teachers’ Coursework: Wherefore Art Thou? Sue O’Neill University of New South Wales Jennifer Stephenson Macquarie University Special Education Centre Abstract: Beginning teachers often report feeling less than adequately prepared by their teacher education programs in the area of classroom and behaviour management (CBM). This article reports the prevalence of evidence-based practices in the coursework content on offer in Australian undergraduate primary teacher education programs. First a set of CBM practices supported by empirical research was established. Models of CBM in CBM courses and prescribed texts were then examined for the inclusion of these practices. We found that evidence-based practices in CBM were not commonly included in either models of CBM covered in courses, or in the prescribed texts used to support courses. The implications of this phenomenon on beginning teachers’ knowledge and confidence in CBM are discussed. Beginning teachers, locally and elsewhere, have long complained about the inadequacy of their pre-service preparation in the area of classroom and behaviour management (CBM) (Atici, 2007; Department of Education, Science & Training, 2006; Veenman, 1984), and it is one of the top two concerns of beginning teachers in Australia (Australian Education Union, 2009). A recent survey of Australian first-year-out primary teachers found that they felt only somewhat prepared to manage a range of problematic student behaviours based on their pre-service teacher coursework preparation (O’Neill & Stephenson, 2013). This dissatisfaction is supported by findings from the Staff in Australian Schools report (McKenzie, Rowley, Weldon, & Murphy, 2011), which reported that less than half of the beginning teachers surveyed felt their pre-service course had been helpful in preparing them to manage “a range of classroom situations”(p. 77) . Criticisms of teacher preparation in the area of classroom management are not unique to Australia. A recent review conducted by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) suggested that teacher preparation programs in the USA “have become an industry of mediocrity, churning out first-year teachers with classroom management skills and content knowledge inadequate to thrive in classrooms with ever-increasing ethnic and socioeconomic student diversity”(NCTQ, 2013, p.1) . Australian schools and their teachers are also facing the challenges of increasing student diversity, with more students with disabilities now enrolled in mainstream educational settings under the policy of inclusion (Ashman & Elkins, 2011) . In Australia, problems in managing student behaviour have been linked to beginning teacher burnout, attrition, and intention to leave (Goddard & Goddard, 2006; McKenzie et al., 2011). Aside from the negative impacts on beginning teachers, poor Vol 39, 3, April 2014 1 Au

FAQs

What issue does the article address in pre-service teacher education?

It addresses the reported inadequacy of teacher preparation, especially for classroom and behaviour management (CBM), among beginning teachers.

How was evidence-based CBM practice assessed in the study?

The study established CBM practices supported by empirical research, then examined CBM course models and prescribed texts for inclusion.

What was the main finding about evidence-based practices in CBM coursework?

Evidence-based CBM practices were not commonly included in either the course models or the prescribed texts used to support those courses.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jasmine