Part I. Teaching out-of-field as a world-wide phenomenon: Defining and understanding a contextualized issue -- Chapter 1 Teaching out-of-field as a phenomenon and research problem -- 2 Measuring out-of-field teaching -- 3 Teaching out-of-field internationally -- Part II. The Complexity of the teaching out-of-field phenomenon -- 4 Examining the complexity of the out-of-field teacher experience through multiple theoretical lenses -- 5 Teacher professional competence: What can be learned about the knowledge and practices needed for teaching? -- 6 Subject specific demands of teaching: Implications for out-of-field teachers -- 7 Out-of-field teaching affecting students and learning: What is known and unknown -- Part III Confronting dilemmas and addressing the issues of teaching out-of-field -- 8 Attending to out-of-field teaching: Implications of and for education policy -- 9 The out-of-field teacher in context: The impact of the school context and environment -- 10 Initial teacher education: Roles and possibilities for preparing capable teachers -- 11 Teacher learning and continuous professional development -- 12 The out-of-field phenomenon: Synthesis and taking action.

This book identifies and surveys the major themes around ‘out-of-field teaching’, that is, teaching subjects or year levels without a specialization. This has been an issue in many countries for some time, yet until recently there has been little formal research and poor policy responses to related problems. This book arises out of collaborations between members of an international group of researchers and practitioners from Australia, Germany, Ireland, England, South Africa, Indonesia and the United States. Cross-national comparisons of ideas through case studies, descriptions of practice and research data interrogates the experiences, practices, and contexts relating to out-of-field teaching. In particular, the book considers the phenomenon of out-of-field teaching in relation to national policy contexts, local school leadership practices, professional development. The book represents an essential contribution on a highly topical issue that has implications for quality and equitable education around the globe.