Who were the participants?

The participants in our study were preservice teachers in the Master of Teaching (Primary) graduate entry teacher education program. The preservice teachers were in the third semester of the four semester (two-year fulltime) program. In the first semester of the program, the preservice teachers participated in a one-week immersion in a primary school setting. The immersion provided the opportunity for the preservice teachers to reflect on the decision to become primary school teachers and to observe life in primary school settings. The preservice teachers had completed a block of professional experience (ten days) in schools in the second semester of study and were about to embark on a further professional experience block that comprised 20 days under the supervision of a registered teacher. While the preservice teachers were career changers to teaching, their average age was lower than that cited in career change literature with 70% of the cohort aged less than 30 years, and with 32% under 25 years old. The preservice teachers had backgrounds that spanned the Arts, Business, Psychology, Health and Science.