The NCETM Portal A Professional Learning Framework April 2007

Professional Learning - why is it important? Becoming a teacher is not a one-stage process - it is continuous. What does ‘professional learning’ mean to you? What has the journey been like for you - critical incidents, resources, tools you have used? What about other people that you interact with in your role; what would professional learning be like for them? Discuss a journey as an individual as a member of a learning institution as a provider. What sources, resources and stimuli do you/did you need?

The portal at present Communities and Blogs Portal Mathemapedia Resource case studies Some of you will know the NCETM portal well; others will have glimpsed it for the first time in the previous session. Already it has developed well beyond a repository of useful information. Its current key features (bring in one at a time?) offer many opportunities for professional learning … We want to look a bit more at what is already there and what might be there soon … and to listen to your reactions and ideas In particular, we would like to explore how to help users to take advantage of the potential interconnections and routes between and among the different elements … (compare this diagram with the next with other links and the ‘portfolio’/’personal learning space’ at the centre Professional standards CPD Directory News and events

Components of a framework Communities and Blogs Portfolio Personal learning space Mathemapedia Resource case studies This diagram is a representation of how the portal is helping to support the professional learning. Hyperlink diagram People learn in different ways and come to the portal with different needs and therefore may begin their journey by visiting any one of these areas as a starting point. Let’s examine what each one of these starting points has and could have to offer. PD Directory Go to PD directory first to show lists of courses – indicate filter devise… Course are undoubtedly useful to some of us but we don’t just want courses here. By being able to find a course that meets your or your institution’s immediate need you are starting your journey. But finding out about other networks and professional groups are important in order to feel part of professional learning community. So one issue we would like to hear your thoughts about is what else might be usefully be included in the directory and what are the best ways of collecting this information. Resource case studies. Go to Jonny Griffiths resource (Resource – Case studies) a way of introducing a resource but also reflecting on the impact of a particular type fo professional development. We know that teachers tell us they want “resources” – i.e. lesson plans, games for Friday pm, etc. (N.B. in a way everything in this framework is a resource for professional learning – we are not using the word “resources” in the sense that teachers use - an classroom resources). In other places you can get straight to a resources. However - there is no shortage of resources of this kind – teachers stories and case studies about classroom resources are the key. Classroom resources have the potential to trigger new approaches, behaviours in the classroom and it is these classroom behaviours and approaches that we want to capture and encourage. One of the principles that we are wedded to is that when teachers reflect on their professional practice and thinking this results in change – e.g. using a new or different resource can stimulate and cause that reflection. So for example a teacher deciding to teach a particular topic this time using an IWB resource may result in a change within the classroom that they can reflect on – but it is the reflection that is the development the resources is acting as a trigger. We are interested in your views about how we can get this balance of immediate and yet deep support for teachers. Communities Professional knowledge about teaching is not just book knowledge; it requires you to sit down and interact with colleagues (planning, teaching, discussing together, etc.) – hence the importance of pd directory. But also joining, through the portal, groups who are discussing and working together is a important addition to this. If you are on your own, the portal can give you access to a similarly interested community to share and bounce your ideas off. If you are already in a group, it can give you access to other groups that might inform and help develop your group’s work. In either case the virtual communities have the potential to give you a window onto what else is going on and other activities that you might want to link into. Show communities – list maths café is open for general discussion and professional sharing. Other forums have specific foci each involving a particular community and linked to a local project . There are also Blogs which have longer entries and are less likely to generate a thread – but represent a personal reflection over time which individuals wish to share and get feedback on. We are interested in your views about how the communities can effectively promote professional dialogue, thinking and sharing. Mathemapedia We want to make it easier for teacher to gain from and contribute the not insignificant body of knowledge that exists in the maths education community. The idea of the Wiki is to make it accessible and owned by the whole professional community. Research and researchers can influence teachers and teachers can and should in turn influence research. Mathemapedea entries are constantly evolving and are designed not just to present one person’s view of the world. They benefit from a melding of theory and practice where teachers are just as central to the generation of professional knowledge about teaching and learning as the “researchers”. Teachers are researchers too; in fact teaching is researching. Go to Mathemapedia home page and then to “Doing and Undoing” We are very interested in how you see such a resource being used by you, in your work with teachers or trainee teachers. Standards Self assessment is an important element of all of this and the TDA Professional Standards for classroom teachers are one example of a tool by which, as a professional, one can see “where you are” and “where you might be”. These standards have now been mathematised and contextualised in order to give teachers suitable prompts and targets for further development. We are interested in what other forms of professional audit guidance might look like (e.g. for subject knowledge). Link to standards – awaiting supply of URL from Alison W People will enter from different points because they have different needs and are at different points on their career/development; the hope is that people will be able to locate themselves somewhere here and make progress. Each of these elements will link to and from all other elements. The portfolio is a tool to enable indiviuals to track and map development. However, if this is only a tool for individuals it is not enough – individuals need to be empowered by their own institutions and therefore the portfolio needs to be a tool which can be used by institutions as well. We would welcome your thoughts on how you feel such a tool could be useful to you in your work with others. Need to say something here about possible audit tools? Professional audits PD Opportunities News & events

How might you see this being used with the people you work with? Communities and Blogs How can communities focus more effectively on professional thinking and sharing? Mathemapedia How might you see this being used with the people you work with? Portfolio What are the purposes of a portfolio and how should it be structured? Resource case studies How do we present resources in a more effective way? Professional audits What forms of professional audit might be contained here? PD Opportunities What else needs to be included in the PD opportunities and how might we collect this information? Hand out sheets with questions on Allocate tables to each numbered cell (1 to 6) everyone to do cell 7 after their first block and if time go onto the next block in numbered order 1 to 2, 2 to 3, … 6 to 1. Recording has to be good enough for us to make sense of – that is the post its and A3 sheets should convey clearly your messages. We want to be able to use these to inform future developments and we want you to take responsibility for making sure that happens. One question per A3 sheet. RCs to look at group’s recording critically as they move around – would they be able to make sense of what is written /displayed in two weeks time after four conferences? Tell groups if it is not clear. Feedback 10 mins RCs “each” pick up a highlight form a table either invite one of the group to talk about it or talk about it themselves – emphasising the resonance for you and how what was said you feel will impact on your thinking and actions in the future. How can the portal develop to support the organisations in supporting individuals? Can you give any examples of particular pathways through the portal - ie for an individual at a particular stage in their career and/or a provider/institution?