The concept of the Canberra Teaching Resources Centre was
derived partly from the teachers' centre movement which originated
in England and to a lesser extent from the American educational
materials centre concept. This field study uses historical method
to trace the establishment and development of the Centre with an
emphasis on the role of its first Director.
The planning initiative lay with the Commonwealth Department
of Education and Science from 1968 to 1972 although considerable
teacher input was invited and received in 1970. Originally seen
as a regional centre in the N.S.W. education systemf the Centre,
when its Director took up duty in 1972, was influenced by educational
reports of A.C.T. and national significance and in 1974 became part
of the Interim A.C.T. Schools Authority. It operated in a limited
way in 1973 but was ready by 1974 to act not only as a teachers'
centre for the A.C.T. but as an agency of the new education system.
The Centre's activities, involving integration of five main
functions, expanded rapidly in 1974 and 1975. Demand as a meeting
place for teachers soon overtaxed accommodation in the City Education
Centre and additional space was acquired in Griffith Infants' School
late in 1975. Displays of educational material evoked the least
response from teachers. Demands on the multi-media Library's
loan service grew so quickly that related services could not be
developed. The entrepreneurial in-service education activities
expanded quickly in volume and range and played an important part in
establishing a new system. Audio-visual services developed more
slowly and production of curriculum materials was just beginning in
1976.
While teacher demand continued to grow, the Centre's development
was held back from late 1975 by government economic policy and in
mid-1976 it faced serious staffing and accommodation constraints.
Closer integration with the Authority's Curriculum Branch selmed the
Centre's most likely future path.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/219268 |
| Date | January 1976 |
| Creators | Price, Barry, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Teacher Education |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Barry Price |
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