Organizational climate refers to the notion of perceived environmental quality. This paper reports research conducted in ten New South Wales State secondary schools measuring organizational climate by taking account of pupil and teacher perceptions. It builds on the earlier work of Finlayson, Banks and Loughran in the United Kingdom and serves as a means of validating their dimensions of organizational climate. A technique for clustering schools according to organizational climate and for identifying the separation of the clusters is reported enabling a comparison across schools to be made. The measures reported have potential for schools wishing to review their current state of organizational health as a means of improving the quality of life for all concerned.

*This paper has as its focus the portrayal of, and justification for, a multi-modal practicum curriculum which is directed to address the needs of qualified teachers. The subject "The Reflective Practitioner in the School" is one which takes the concept of workplace learning most seriously. For too many years teacher education has treated the practicum curriculum as a pre-service "practice teaching" subject sequence and has not concerned itself with ways in which in-service professional development can be constructed as continuous with the pre-service practicum program.The challenge in the Bachelor of Education degree at the University of Technology, Sydney was to develop a range of practicum structures which would be appropriate for those who were only just embarking upon teaching and those who had many years of experience. The practicum was seen as a site which would allow students to investigate current workplace conditions; internal and external factors influencing current structural/organisational features; and the impact of school planning processes on classroom practices in relation to curriculum, evaluation and pedagogy.Our papers traces the reasonings behind the design of the subject, the ways in which it has been operationalised and our own reflections on ourselves as adult learners in the process.

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There are substantial pressures for changes in teaching practice which are now clearly reflected in government policy. It is argued that these pressures have emerged from changes in the culture of technologically based societies and the resulting changes in the needs of all students in schools. The implications of recent theories of learning and new needs for learners are discussed with respect to teacher education. An attempt to change the way in which students are prepared in mathematics education is reported. Data collected as part of the study indicate the need for a system-wide approach to change.

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