Changing Teacher Education in the UK Tempus MASTS 23rd June 2014 Dr. Peter Jones p.jones@bathspa.ac.uk Dr. Snezana Lawrence s.lawrence@bathspa.ac.uk

Overview Review of teacher education in the UK Key dimensions of changes Key debates

The Context ‘People are always wanting teachers to change. Rarely has this been more true than in recent years. These times of global competitiveness, like all moments of economic crisis, are producing immense moral panics about how we are preparing generations of the future in our respective nations…’ (Hargreaves, 1994, p. 5)

The Education Challenges Efficiency and effectiveness Changed political, economic, cultural and social conditions Expectations of education Expectations of teachers

Areas of Change From……Universities/Colleges Curriculum Assessment Accreditation Autonomy To….central state and its agencies ‘Schools Direct’ Diversity of providers and provision Fragmentation/diversity – national system?

Legacy Providers and Provision Colleges of Education – undergraduate degrees – Bachelor of Education (4 years) Universities – post-graduate certificate of education (PGCE) (1 year post-degree) Schools Who trains? How to train? What is a teacher?

National Curriculum and School-Based Curriculum Subject knowledge Subject application – strategies/techniques Class management Pupil learning Assessment

University-led Curriculum Time in schools – steady increase to two thirds of time on a PGCE Serial/block teaching practice Replacement of theory with subject studies, educational and professional studies School-based assignments A new model in the making…

Partnerships University/College….or schools? Co-design, co-delivery, co-assessment Teachers as mentors Competences/skills Collaborative partnership Complementary partnership Competitive partnership

Partnership Planning Assessment Documentation Content Mentoring Contractual relationship Budget Location

Diversity Traditional University-led Model Integrated model School-led Model Strong University Weak school Strong School

School-led Model University role for accreditation University role as outsourced provider University role as resource (libraries etc). In-house capacity built up in schools Schools select students Schools hold the budget Schools competing for students

Does it matter? What do students value about university-led teacher education? What can/do universities offer? Geography of provision Equity/equality issues Interests/needs of providers

Wrap Up Paradox - systematic fragmentation Smaller (local state)/bigger central state De-professionalisation/re-professionalisation Suspicion of university provider capture – autonomy and control Choice of providers Competition within markets External regulators High-stakes inspection Competences and standards Practice not theory – ‘Minimum Competence Model’ Quick fixes – calibre of graduates; immersive experience in particular schools ‘Teach First’ – high-calibre graduates, six-week training, jobs in schools; no expectation of long teaching career

Thank you for your attention! Diversity in Teacher Education (DiTE) Three year research project Topology of Teacher Education Case studies of provision and student experience Longitudinal study of students by mode of provision Outcomes/impacts for learners