What happens when out-of-field teachers feel more confident about their performance than their in-field peersdo about them? Professor Donna Pendergast AM from Griffith University in Queensland, Australia, joins us to unpack the surprising findings of her global study on home economics teaching. From the emotional toll on in-field mentors to the "Swiss cheese" gaps in system support, this episode explores what self-efficacy really means, and why passion still matters.

Links:Study cited: Pendergast, D., McManus, S., DuPlessis, A., & Deagon, J. (2025). Investigatingthe perceptions of self-efficacy of in-field and out-of-field home economics teachers. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 53, e70006. https://doi.org/10.1111/fcsr.70006

Griffith University profile: https://experts.griffith.edu.au/18640-donna-pendergast-am

National Teacher Workforce Action Plan 2022:https://www.education.gov.au/national-teacher-workforce-action-plan