Strategies for supporting students to achieve Masters level on the secondary PGCE course

1. Strategies for supporting students to achieve Masters level on the secondary PGCE course Maarten Tas & Sue Forsythe

2. The background to Masters Level • The National Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ, 2001) stated that postgraduate qualifications needed to show evidence of study at Masters level. • There was a concern to keep the status of the term “post graduate” in the teaching qualification. The options now available keep the Post Graduate Certificate of Education which contains Masters level credits and introduced the Professional Graduate Certificate of Education at Honours level. Jackson, A. and Eady, S. (2008) Paper presented at BERA annual conference

3. The Children’s plan:Brighter Futures (2007), DCSF • We already have many teachers and headteachers who are among the best in the world. However to deliver a teaching workforce and a new generation of headteachers which is consistently world class we will allocate £44 million over the next three years to make teaching a Master Profession. The fact that in Finland, a country considered to have high achieving students, the teachers all have masters degrees was another reason for making teaching in England a masters profession.

4. Overview • Aim • Rationale • Considerations • Other HE organisations • Involvement of co-tutors • The structure of the workshop • Theissues • Analysis of data 2007-2008 (Maths & Science) • Interventions • Teacher Development Course • Tutorials • Success criteria • Analysis of data 2008-2009 • Recommendations for future practice

5. Aim • To share our experiences with regard to supporting students to achieve at Masters level on the university assignments, in particular the interventions put in place for students whose undergraduate experience may not have prepared them for reflection and critical analysis related to teaching and learning.

6. Rationale • Many PGCE students have not experienced in their undergraduate studies the kinds of reflective thinking and style of writing needed for the University assignments at Masters level. • We need to consider how best to support these students to develop effective study skills in such areas as research in education, referencing, the structuring of the assignments and so on. Sewell, K. (2007) Busy Guide to M Level PGCE, Escalate website

7. In the USA and Canada, academic writing is explicitly taught at undergraduate level and dedicated writing centres exist in most North American universities. Adams, J.(2009), Supporting the Academic Writing of Widening Participation Students, paper given at the College Composition and Communication Conference, San Fransisco

8. Considerations • What are the characteristics of M-level courses and how are they related to quality of teaching? Might our interview criteria change to ensure applicants can reach M level? Would that exclude some potentially good recruits to teaching? • Many PGCE tutors argue that expectations in university sessions and in written assignments have long demonstrated M level characteristics. Haworth, A., et al Developments with Mathematics M-level PGCE Provision and Assessment, paper on ITEmaths website

9. What is happening in other HE institutions? A survey of 21 institutions has been carried out. Most of these institutions are making efforts to support maths trainees in their writing including: • Scaffolding and/or formative assessment for early assignments • Discussion of academic and professional articles • Library sessions • Support for proof reading • Personal tutor support • Support via VLE Haworth, A., et al Developments with Mathematics M-level PGCE Provision and Assessment, paper on ITEmaths website

10. Involvement of co-tutors • Co-tutors do not appear to be deeply involved yet in the M level aspects of the course. In one HEI the school mentor (co-tutor) is more involved. The topic is negotiated with the co-tutor so that the work might ideally address an issue in the departmental development plan, and the co-tutor acts as supervisor. Haworth, A., et al Developments with Mathematics M-level PGCE Provision and Assessment, paper on ITE maths website

11. The structure of the workshop • 10 min: We set the scene of the problem some students have with the attainment of Masters level in the university assignments, and explain our strategies. • 25 min: Time will be allocated to the workshop participants to speak to the group about how they see the problem and strategies they use to deal with it. • 10min: A brief discussion of best practice and ways forward will then take place. Participants will be invited to write down their suggestions, which will be collated and put on a blog after the meeting.

12. The Issues • structure of essay for Social Sciences • struggle with focus • explanation of key concepts and ideas • connection between theory and own classroom experience • critical evaluation of how their teaching strategies affect pupils’ learning

13. Analysis of data 2007-2008 (Maths & Science) • Maths 5/11 Masters, including 2 who had to re-sit. • Science 22/38, including 6 who had to re-sit • Of the people who got Masters 19/27 had a 2:1 or above; 8/27 had 2:2 • 17/25 females got masters (68%) • 10/24 males got masters (42%)

14. InterventionsTeacher Development Course • Introduction to Researching and Writing at M level (3 hrs session) • Teacher as Researcher (supplementary course) • Action Research in School (supplementary course) • Powerpoint for UA2 to be adapted by tutors • Documents on writing assignments and assessment criteria on VLE

15. InterventionsTutorials UA1 • Each week at university: a paper on VLE to read • Exemplar section of a research paper showing how to reference papers, sections from books, etc. on VLE • Tutorial on writing assignments • Practice assignment (1000 words) • Exemplar assignments on VLE • Constructive feedback on 1st assignments. Rewrites allowed

16. InterventionsTutorials UA2 • Powerpoint to introduce UA2 (also available on VLE) • As preparation for UA2 students write a synopsis • Peer assessment of synopsis (using marking grid & example) • Tutor assessment of synopsis • Exemplar assignments (also available on VLE) • Twilight tutorial: • writing/structuring your assignment (‘The art of writing’) • Meeting H or M level criteria and gaining pass level for QTS (H + M level criteria) • In groups review the guidance for the options (guide lines in handbook) • Questionnaires to students after synopsis and after the UA2 is marked

17. Success criteria • Fewer re-writes • Increase proportion of Maths and Science students getting Masters Level marks.

18. Analysis of data 2008-2009 • Maths 15/20 (5/11) Masters, including 4 (2) who had to re-sit. • Science 36/40 (22/38),including 11 (6) who had to re-sit • Of the people who got Masters 31/51-61% (19/27-70%) had a 2:1 or above. • 27/28 females got Masters (96%) (68%) • 24/32 males got Masters (75%) (42%)

19. Recommendations for future practice • Teacher Development Course: • A separate booklet for assignments (also on VLE) • A separate 45 minutes introduction to Maths and Science Students • Arrange for the library to hold multiple copies of the main books and arrange 24/7 access • Tutorials UA1: • Keep paper to read on VLE each week: include discussion (Discussion Board on VLE?) • Keep practice assignment: include reflections on their afternoon in school & link to literature; constructive feedback from tutor • Twilight tutorial on writing/structuring assignment and meeting the criteria • Students mark exemplar assignment with level descriptor • Students mark own assignment with level descriptor • Tutorials UA2 • Introduce marking grid for synopsis before the students write it • Exemplar synopses and marking grids • Students mark exemplar assignment with level descriptor

20. References • Adams, J.(2009), Supporting the Academic Writing of Widening Participation Students, paper given at the College Composition and Communication Conference, San Fransisco • Haworth, A., et al Developments with Mathematics M-level PGCE Provision and Assessment, paper on ITEmaths website • Jackson, A. and Eady, S. (2008) Paper presented at BERA anuual conference • Sewell, K. (2007) Busy Guide to M Level PGCE, Escalate website