‘I Did Not Choose Teaching Because…’

Examining the Underrepresentation of Ethnic Minority Teacher Candidates in Australia

Bibliographic Data

ID22048342
AuthorsSun Yee Yip (0000-0003-1234-2473, Monash University, corresponding author), Xu Yue (0000-0002-2126-633X, Monash University)
Year2025
Volume15
Issue9
Pages1163
Publication date2025-09-05
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEducation Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/educsci15091163
OpenAlexW4414020799
LanguageEN
References cited24

Ethnic minority teacher candidates are disproportionately underrepresented in Australia’s teacher education programs. This study examined the perceptions of ethnic minorities who considered but did not choose teaching to understand the inhibitors and what could have motivated them to pursue teaching. Using Margaret Archer’s theory of reflexive decision-making and data from 152 survey respondents and 48 interview participants, we found that participants’ teaching career decision is influenced by personal conditions (personal beliefs), structural conditions (racism and discrimination, financial consideration, and career pathway), and cultural conditions (status and image of teaching and social influence). Strategies to attract ethnic minorities into teaching are discussed

Ethnic group · Mathematics education · Pacific islanders · Pedagogy · Sociology · Teaching method · Collaborative Teaching and Inclusion · Psychology · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies · Teacher Professional Development and Motivation

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access