Showing papers in "Journal of In-service Education in 1995"

The Induction of Newly Qualified Teachers in Schools: where next?

Abstract: > The induction of newly qualified teachers has improved little In the past 25 years, despite considerable efforts, and recent Government policy changes add to the complexity of the task. This paper reports on a survey of induction in Wales which found that NQTs, particularly in primary schools, were increasingly likely to be appointed on short‐term contracts, to receive little ‘induction’ release time and to be the subject of unclear assessment policies. It also found that mentoring, competences and profiles for NQTs were at a very early stage of implementation, and were ill‐understood. The paper concludes with some proposals for policy and practice designed to improve induction.

Action Research for Professional Practice[1]

Abstract: In this paper the author explores what action research means in the context of practitioner research and shares five principles that illuminate her own work as an action researcher. [1] This invited paper was presented at the Practitioner Research Workshop at the Annual Conference of the British Educational Researcher Association, Oxford, September 1994. A longer version of this paper has appeared in Nigel Bennett (Ed.) (1994), Improving Education through Research and Consultancy. London: Paul Chapman.

The Professional Development Business: school evaluations of LEA and higher education INSET provision

Abstract: Against the background of high profile changes in schools and initial teacher training, this article summarises the first results of longitudinal survey research (conducted in the summer terms, 1993 and 1994) which focuses on changing attitudes to and patterns of professional development, its organisation and developing management at school level. The aim of the research was to highlight developing issues in this much neglected, but increasingly important area, particularly in the context of a renewed recognition of the continuum of teacher development – from initial training, through induction to INSET. Results suggest that a complex transitional process is underway, whereby schools are coming to identify a common set of criteria for judging the relative strengths of LEAs, higher education and private providers as delivers of INSET and consultancy. Accompanying increasingly discerning judgements, schools are recognising limitations in delegated choice‐making and funding. The research also raises...

Inspection and Change: help or hindrance for the classroom teacher

Abstract: > The main purpose of OFSTED inspection is to bring about improvements in schools. As the quality of teaching and learning is the main focus of Inspection, it is important to know whether inspection actually does bring about improvement in classroom practice. A survey was carried out to investigate teachers' perceptions and responses to inspection. In this paper, we examine whether teachers intend to change their practice as a result of inspection, and look at some of the factors which affect their intentions. We suggest that the way in which teachers are prepared for inspection will affect the quality of changes brought about by the inspection process.

INSET: initiating change or merely supporting it?

Abstract: > This article describes and discusses the findings of a research study into the factors that bring about change in the classroom. The main aim of the study was to establish whether in‐service training plays a significant role in bringing about change. Nearly 400 primary and secondary teachers were questioned about changes in their classroom practice, the factors that brought about the change and the barriers to change. The conclusion reached is that external factors, such as the National Curriculum and examination boards, are more significant in bringing about change than is in‐service training, particularly in the secondary school where in‐service training was rarely identified as a change‐factor. In the primary phase, in‐service training was identified more often and two particular types were mentioned by a significant number of teachers. The findings of the study are discussed in relation to existing theories about the change process and previous research about in‐service training effectiveness.

Collaborative Professional Development in a Primary School: a case study

Abstract: This paper reports a programme of professional development in a primary school in a provincial city in Queensland. The assistant principal at the school led a group of teachers, working collaboratively in pairs but also as a group, in a self‐ and group‐directed program of professional development. The process used was primarily peer clinical supervision. The authors of the paper acted as resource persons in this process and used ethnographic techniques to document the programme as it progressed throughout the year.

Professional Profiling and Development in the Induction Year

Abstract: > This paper describes a small scale research project concerned with the induction of Newly Qualified Teachers. Through the analysis of sixteen case studies in primary and secondary schools, the assertion is made that the key to effective professional development is enabling a process of rigorous critical reflection set firmly within a context where the new teacher has full ownership of that process. The findings of the project are set within paradigms which both analyse the change from probation to induction and explore the tension between critical reflection and technical competence.

The Principal as Adult Educator in the Professional Development of Teachers

Abstract: This paper provides a discussion of the Australian policy context in which the professional development of teachers is now located and identifies the implication for the leadership of school organisations. The central tenet of the argument is that school principals need to view professional development of their staff as a specific dimension of the broader world of adult education and perceive their role as adult educators. Ten principles of adult learning are identified and Tennant's work on adult teacher – adult learner relationships is used as a framework for understanding the way principals can begin to re‐conceptualise their role in professional development.

‘Teacher needs’ and practice development: Implications for in‐classroom support

Abstract: > In‐classroom support for teachers offers considerable scope for significant learning about classroom practice, but is, perhaps, the most challenging of activities. Nevertheless, curriculum and support teachers can grapple with this more effectively if they have given serious consideration to what the term ‘teachers’ needs’ actually means and what it might imply for them. ‘Needs identification and analysis’ is a phrase that has been in common currency for a number of years. The problematic nature of it, however, is less widely acknowledged. The work of a primary mathematics advisory teacher provides the context within which issues related to this are explored. A conceptual framework is proposed through which it is possible to consider both the potential for conflict between ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ and the means by which a greater congruence between them can be achieved in practice development programmes.

From NVQs to ‘Policy Scholarship’: evolving a research agenda for post‐compulsory professional development

Abstract: Political insistence on implementing higher level National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) and General Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) currently dominates the ideological high ground for professional development for the post‐compulsory sector. There is a widespread and mistaken belief that GNVQs might redress NVQs’ shortcomings by adding ‘underpinning knowledge’ and offering a broader view of a vocational area. There is evidence that NVQs are adapting to criticism; at higher levels, they appear to be appropriating many features that underpin existing approaches to professional development. This article argues that this apparent reforming of NVQs obscures how the underlying values and educational purposes of professional learning are being completely redefined as both NVQs and GNVQs strengthen their powerful ideological and technical hold over the education and training system. Externally defined and restrictive mechanisms for learning and assessment will eventually dominate teachers’ and learn...

Mathematical Knowledge and Primary Teachers: beyond the deficit model

Abstract: In‐service education in mathematics for primary teachers in the United Kingdom has a good record for funding and participation, and yet there is still a widely held opinion that teachers lack the necessary mathematical knowledge to teach. As a consequence, there are demands that courses for teachers should address lack of mathematical knowledge as a central priority. We argue that the analysis and proposed solution represent a considerable over‐simplification of the issues. Arguments are set in the content of the writers' own work in the field of in‐service education and are illustrated by extracts from teachers' reflective writing.

Learner Autonomy in Competence‐based Post‐compulsory Teacher Education

Abstract: This article seeks to explore the role of learner autonomy in schemes using two models of competence: one is based in higher education and uses more generally framed competences: the other uses the NCVQ model. It discusses why autonomy is an important factor to consider and, through examining the key features of both the types of schemes, assesses the degree and nature of autonomy which is possible in the different programmes. Four conditions for the development of student autonomy are identified: Supportive Learning Environment, Regular Feedback to Learners, Emphasis on Holistic Learning and Active Engagement in the Learning Process. Through these, an attempt is made to suggest how autonomy may be maximised in the illustrative schemes to enhance both individual professional development and institutional responsiveness to change.

Learning to Work in Higher Education: some staff perceptions

Abstract: The paper explores the process of learning to work in Higher Education, employing a form of critical incident technique in working with nineteen newly‐appointed HE staff to examine their difficulties, how they were dealt with and how they were resolved. Difficulties were sorted into fourteen categories. Leading a seminar caused the largest number of difficulties. Student response was the most powerful stimulant to changing a teaching approach, although little feedback was sought. Relationships with colleagues were problematic for some. A number felt well‐supported and were effectively helped to learn, whilst others believed they were left to cope on their own. A lack of knowledge of curriculum design and validation procedures indicated that some new staff need to have these skills at an early stage. Few fundamental shifts in practice were reported; explanations are offered. Some noted instead a pressure to conform to institutional norms.

Teaching Home Economics by a Problem‐solving Approach in Sudanese Secondary Schools for Girls

Abstract: > This study investigated a practical problem in Sudanese secondary female home economics education, namely, the lack of involvement of methods of teaching critical thinking skills, which is believed to be a major defect in teaching/learning of home economics. Also, there is a complete omission of provision of any INSET programme for secondary home economics teachers regarding the improvement of their methods of teaching. This paper presents an account of an INSET course in teaching problem‐solving conducted in Sudan in summer 1992 for secondary home economics teachers of Omdurman. Using both semi‐structured interviews and self‐report Likert questionnaire, teachers' views about teaching problem‐solving in the context of home economics were investigated. Respondents views were solicited on several areas. The results showed teachers' positive attitudes towards the INSET and the use of problem‐solving methods. As INSET of Sudanese home economics teachers has been consistently ignored, the findings of...

Teacher Education for Further Education Staff in Northern Ireland: evaluating a competence‐based approach

Abstract: The author explains how the mandatory requirement in Northern Ireland for teacher education for lecturers in further education colleges was met by a competence‐based programme devised at the University of Ulster. There is an evaluation of the programme which has been in operation for three years and a presentation of the model of competence which has been introduced to meet the needs of lecturers in the revised programme. The new model seeks to provide opportunities to develop necessary teaching skills while enabling lecturers to progress towards the level of professional autonomy required in the contemporary context of delayered organisations where the ability to manage culture and reconstruct institutional climate are essential attributes for a successful lecturer.

Are Secondary Headteachers Losing Touch

Abstract: This article is based on the findings of a questionnaire that asked teachers and headteachers in both primary and secondary schools for their perceptions of the effectiveness of different forms of in‐service training The results revealed significant differences between the perceptions of teachers and headteachers in the secondary school, particularly with regard to school‐based Baker‐Day sessions Such differences were not found in the primary school The article goes on discuss the reasons for the differences, poses the question ‘Are secondary headteachers losing touch?’, considers the implications of this, and finally compares the situation in the secondary school with that in the primary school

The Accreditation of Experiential Learning for Teachers: its contribution to continuing professional development and its viability as a process

Abstract: This paper considers the role of the exploration and evaluation of experiential learning in the continuing professional development of teachers. It makes two main arguments. First, that these activities, which may be described as review, have a unique focus on professional self over the long term. As a result they are different from, but complementary to, reflection in action as elucidated by Schon. Secondly, it is proposed that it is possible to structure these activities in such a way that they are academically rigorous and intellectually challenging. Thus, they may be potentially worthy of the award of the substantial credit in credit accumulation systems.

INSET Provision for Science 1: a problematic attainment target

Abstract: This paper reports on some of the findings of a research project, ‘Realising Policy in Scl’, carried out at the University of Leeds. It seeks to examine the INSET provision available to science teachers as they aimed to introduce attainment target 1 (scientific investigation) of the science national curriculum in England and Wales. The particular attainment target presented formidable problems for both teachers and INSET providers. Both had limited expertise in scientific investigations as described in the statutory orders. In many instances, teachers viewed trainers as figures of authority able to resolve problems associated with implementing the attainment target, displaying a lack of confidence in their own professional situation. The appropriateness of such ‘functional models’ of INSET are considered against more collaborative forms of INSET as a means to assist the professional development of teachers.

Supporting Distance Learning: the role of the associate tutor in management self‐development

Abstract: This paper is concerned with understanding more clearly, the part played by a partnership between Associate Tutors (ATs), who would normally be LEA Advisers/Inspectors and Facilitators (Deputy Headteachers) in the learning support network for students who are following an accredited management self‐development INSET course using distance learning materials. The evidence was collected from six ATs and one facilitator using a semi‐structured interview technique.

Towards the Europe School: partnership in the European dimension of teacher development [1]

Abstract: > The development of educational policy making in the European Union is set in the context of teacher training. The Issue of how schooling can be improved through joint action and in‐service education is addressed through the processes of collaborative action research. The benefits of adopting an action research approach to teacher education and school improvement are illustrated with reference to two projects; ‘Europe in the Primary School’ and the ‘Europe School Project’. Some main outcomes of these projects are described and addressed in the light of future trends towards European citizenship and joint programmes in European in‐service education and training. [1] Paper presented to the Standing Committee for the Education and Training of Teachers (SCETT) Conference, London, 10 May 1995. This article is an abridged version of a paper to be published in the proceedings of the 3rd Conference of the Centro Europa per la Scuola Educazione Societa (CESES) 26‐29 April 1995, Sorrento, Italy.

INSET for a Differentiated Curriculum:the experience of Northern Ireland primary schools

Abstract: > This paper reports research on in‐service support for primary schools in Northern Ireland within a differentiated curriculum. The views of headteachers, subject coordinators and teachers were sought on the extent, relevance and value of the in‐service training provided by the Education and Library Boards’ curriculum support service for the problems currently being encountered in differentiation. The demand from schools for help with this aspect of the curriculum and how it is provided by the Education and Library Boards is investigated, as is the role of the subject coordinator in supporting teacher colleagues. The results showed that, although the curriculum support service attempts to tailor in‐service provision to meet schools’ needs, help is still urgently required in some areas of differentiated teaching.

Peer Assistance for Principals: benefits and issues

Abstract: This article discusses the benefits of and issues relating to peer assistance as a form of professional development for principals The data for such a discussion derives from three studies of peer assistance conducted in NSW Australia in 1991, 1993 and 1994 The procedure followed in these studies is briefly reported Mentoring in general and shadowing in particular are defined as peer assistance approaches, and the benefits of each are cited with reference to the reported studies, through there is obviously a high degree of commonality in the claimed advantages Issues discussed relate to the allocation of time for assistance, the requirements for observation (in the shadowing mode) and the contentious problem of determining criteria for matching