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Teacher Education in a new era: visioning and realising

Explore the current landscape of teacher education and continuous professional development (CPD) and delve into innovative strategies for enhancing educational practices in the 21st century. Highlighting key policy suggestions, challenges, and the role of higher education institutions in creating a transformative era.

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Teacher Education in a new era: visioning and realising

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  1. Teacher Education in a new era: visioning and realising ESCalate ITE Conference 15th May 2009 Professor Joan Whitehead

  2. Vision The chief purpose of education is to teach young people to find pleasure in the right things .’ (Plato 400 BC) ‘Education is at the heart of human progress. Economic and social prosperity in the 21st century depend on the ability of nations to educate all members of their societies to be prepared to thrive in a rapidly changing world. An innovative society prepares people to embrace change.’ (Education for Innovative Societies in the 21st Century (2006) G8)

  3. What role for teacher educators? • Where are we now in terms of ITET and CPD? • What challenges situate our practice? • What policies suggest a new era? • What part can HEI teacher educators play in creating/ contributing to a new era?

  4. Where are we now : ITET ? • ‘We have more and better qualified teachers than ever’ (G. Brown ,Excellence and Fairness, Cabinet Office 2008) • 87% of HEI led provision is in TDA quality categories A and B based on OfSTED Inspections. • 85% of primary and 86% of secondary NQTs rate the overall quality of their ITT as “good” or “very good”. • QTLS now mandatory for new FE teachers in England and Wales. TQFE to be developed inScotland.

  5. Where are we now : CPD? • Endorsement for career long development directed at improvement Schools Professional Standards Frameworks Chartered Teacher- Scotland and Wales; MTL England, NI? FE sector England and Wales : formal recording of 30 hours of CPD Scotland: proposal for 6 days of CPD annually BUT no policy steer for accreditation at Master’s level. • PPD shown to have a demonstrable andtransformational impact on teachers’ classroom performance (TDA,2008).

  6. Where do we go next? OECD research on teacher preparation, recruitment and retention concluded : “Teacher quality” was the single most important variable influencing student achievement ’(OECD, 2005). International comparisons of high performing school systems concluded: ‘The quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers’ (Barber and Mourshed, 2007).

  7. Would a change in the type of provision improve quality? YES • Expand school and employment based routes • Phase out the BEd • Provide teachers with £500 annually to spend on CPD supported by school mentors (Freedman, Lipson and Hargreaves, More Good Teachers, 2008). NO a.Insufficient evidence on the quality of employment based routes • B.Ed rated highly by the profession and trainees • Without external support, e.g. of HEIs, CPD would become too insular

  8. From structural uncertainties to known challenges : macro issues in the 21st Century • Economic and technological • Social and cultural Teachers should be supported ‘in developing a deeper understanding of the historical , social and cultural contexts within which they work.’ European Union Commission’s Consultation on Schools for the 21st Century, 2008

  9. Economic and technological challenges Globalisation. New skills needed –flexibility; problem solving, team work; communication. Reality: a. UK’s low participation in post compulsory education and training- 25th out of 29 OECD countries b. UK students taking STEMs subjects is low c. UK dropped from 7th to 12th in European Commission’s global league table of digital adoption d. Growth in creative industries. Only 28% of teachers had given positive impression of working in the creative industry (Ipsos MORI, 2008. Creativity and Young People)

  10. Social and cultural challenges 1 Ethnic and social composition of society is changing 1 in 10 children in Britain lives in mixed race family. Pupils for whom English is an additional language is increasing. Such change raises questions for teachers about: a. identities b. the vibrancy or challenge that diversity brings – issues of social cohesion c. the relevance of the curriculum and pedagogy.

  11. Social and cultural challenges 2 • Society remains heavily stratified • Attainment gaps at KS4 show social class remains an important factor. Black Caribbean and White British boys from the lowest social class have the lowest outcomes (Strand, S. DCSF Gender Agenda Conference , 2008)

  12. KS4 points score by ethnicity, class & gender

  13. Implications for policy and practice • Should the QTS standards address these issues more fully? What about placements for QTS with community groups, parent/carer organisations, family literacy programmes, youth groups, careers advisors, business leaders? • Should there be BEd/ BA QTS in Urban/Community Education? • Do trainees with degrees in Education Studies have a better understanding of these issues? Does this have a bearing on the quality of their practice? • Should more be done to encourage/ ensure local determination of part of the curriculum as advocated by the Cambridge Review?

  14. Seeds of a new era: reflections on some current policies • Curriculum Reviews across the UK. • Similarity in aims - ‘Successful learners; confident individuals; responsible citizens’ . Greater opportunities for personalised learning. • Greater emphasis on skills e.g. creativity and critical thinking, problem solving and on interdisciplinary work. • Is teacher education presenting teaching ‘as a problem solving or research-in-action activity?’ (Schools for 21stC, 2008) • Silence on what reforms imply for teacher training.

  15. Signs of a new era: more autonomy? • Curriculum reforms indicate reduced central prescription ‘The revised curriculum is about handing back to teachers the flexibility to tailor what you teach in the way you see fit..’ (NI Minister, 2007)(QCA 2007) ‘– able, brilliant and skilled professionals do not thrive when their energies are absorbed by the need to comply with a draft of detailed requirements--.’ • (Lord Filkin,Chair of House of Lords Statutory Instruments Committee( 2009) Changing political climate towards accountability for the delivery of outcomes but more freedom about the means

  16. ‘More freedom’ : myth or reality? • External constraints: national tests and league tables. Inspections and compliance issues. • Internal constraints. Teachers and teacher educators may feel uncomfortable with new ‘freedom’. Both have implications for trainees. • BUT some/ many teachers and teacher educators can and do go beyond constraints. What motivates them to be less risk averse?

  17. Other signs of a new era: new forms of partnership. ‘ The 21st century school system—will look and feel very different to the one we have been used to. It will be one in which, to achieve their core mission of excellent teaching and learning , schools look beyond traditional boundaries , are more outward facing, working in partnership with children, young people and parents; other schools, colleges , learning providers and universities; other children’s services----.’ 21st Century Schools: A World Class Education for Every Child ( DCSF, 2008)

  18. How might universities contribute to supporting schools? • Placements of trainees with new ideas • Sponsorship of Academies or involvement in Trusts • Aim Higher and initiatives aimed at raising and supporting aspirations • School- focused CPD/PPD in response to needs identified by school staff BUT can more be done ? What might it look like ? • Combining activities to maximise effectiveness • Acting more strategically to clearly identified purposes.

  19. Building social capital : all are winners! • Teacher works with students on AS Extended Projects. • University tutor supports students’ research skills. • University provides accommodation for students to work on and present their projects to parents, head teacher, LA. • Presentations video recorded. Student use the data to refine their work and reflect on themselves as knowledge creators and communicators • Parents gain more understanding of their sons/ daughters’ work. They perceive university as more accessible • The teacher (Cartwright 2008) uses this data for MA assignment. ’How can I enable the gifts and talents of my students to be in the driving seat of their learning.’ • University tutor and LA doctoral student have access to data for their research.

  20. Alignment of capital for the transformation of schools • Intellectual capital Level of knowledge and skill of those working in or for school • Social capital Strength, depth and width of formal and informal networks/ partnerships to support or be supported by school • Spiritual capital Strength of moral purpose and shared ethos Adapted from: Caldwell B & Spinks J (2008) Raising the Stakes: From Improvement to Transformation in the Reform of SchoolsLondon: Routledge

  21. The potential of MTL for capacity building • Regional consortia to build social capital in networks between: HEIs ,schools Schools and schools (coaches, NQTs,et al) HEIs and HEIs Schools, HEIs and other partners e.g. LAs, Subject Associations • Infrastructure with greater reach for the generation and sharing of professional knowledge. • Would web 2.0 technology make this more realisable and enable links with other networks e.g. TERN?

  22. ITET capacity building: growing the seeds • Regional collaboration between HEIs on common documentation for schools. What about other aspects? • Primary and Secondary staff collaborating on the production of SEDs • Joint teaching of Primary and Secondary trainees • Joint teaching of ITET trainees and other students More than administrative convenience? • Development through research and networks Sharing of professional knowledge to the benefit of trainees

  23. Direction of travel for the profession • More outward facing and strategic • Informed by moral purpose • Collaborative • Open minded, generating and sharing professional knowledge system wide • Less risk averse and more innovative • Committed to own professional development

  24. AdditionalResources Cartwright, S. (2008) How can I enable the gifts and talents of my students to be in the driving seat of their own learning? Retrieved 11 May 2009 from http://www.jackwhitehead.com/tuesdayma/scgandtnov08.htm Whitehead, J. (2003) The Future of Teaching and Teaching in the Future: a vision of the future of the profession of teaching - Making the Possible Probable. Keynote address to the Standing Committee for the Education and Training of Teachers Annual Conference 3rd-4th October 2003, Dunchurch. Retrieved 11 May 2009 from http://www.actionresearch.net/evol/joanw_files/joanw.htm Whitehead, J. (2009) Making Public the Embodied Knowledge of Master Educators. Retrieved 11 May 2009 from http://www.actionresearch.net/mastermod.shtml Whitehead, J. (2009) Action Planning In Improving Practice And Generating Educational Knowledge In Creating Your Living Educational Theory. Retrieved 11 May 2009 from http://www.jackwhitehead.com/jack/arplanner.htm

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