1. Research Workshop – Kirstin Sawyer

2. Title What has the impact been of the teaching qualification framework introduced to the Post Compulsory sector in 2000 on practitioners in an FE College?

3. Context Retention and achievement low in FE Major reason identified as poor teaching Reports and research – 1959 Crowther Report – 1980s and early 1990s Davies and Martinez 50% of full-time staff and 17% of part-time staff had teaching qualification (McGavin 1999, online)

4. Responses to the problem More rigorous inspection – OFSTED Funding – Possible withdrawal Teaching qualifications and standards

5. Professionalism Characteristics – Professional body – Standards – Code of conduct – use of skills based on theoretical knowledge – education and training in those skills – competence ensured by examination (Millerson 1964, cited in Clow 2001, p.409)

6. Action Creation of FENTO (1998) Teaching standards – Mapped against teaching qualifications Legal requirement in 2000 to achieve a minimum of level 4 teaching qualification (DfES Statutory Instrument No. 1209 2001)

7. Research – aims, key questions, theories Has a decision taken at the macro level, government had an impact at the micro level, the classroom? What has the impact been on practitioners? Theories – Professionalism and dual professionalism – Change management

8. Methodology Semi-structured interviews face to face – Same basic framework Audio tape and partial transcription (Walford 2001, p.92) Qualitative – Feelings, attitudes, values – Explore statements Reflection (Lankshear and Knobel, 2004 p.198)

9. Questions Motivation for doing the ITT courses Organisational and management support What did they learn? – Knowledge, skills, values Did it impact on their teaching? – How – examples Reflection – what could have made the experience better, easier or more enjoyable?

10. Sample 3 Male3 Female 1 Post Graduate Diploma, 2 cert ed 2 PG Dip, 1 Certificate in education Engineering, IT and careHairdressing, care 1 voluntary, 1 private, 1 college 1 College, 1 other FE, 1 private

11. Data Analysis Patterns – Coding E.g. motivation – external or internal – Similarities and differences Reflections and ideas for development

12. Issues Choosing the sample – Use own students rather than personnel records – Ethical reasons Interviewer bias – People who I have not taught But I am likely to be known to them Problem of triangulation

13. Findings What motivates me to do this course? What is teaching? What learning did the course provide? How and where does this learning take place? Analyse the difference between new and experienced teachers

14. 1. What is my motivation? What differences are revealed by quotes? It was advised, well, it was part of the interview and the terms and conditions, that I would do a qualification in teaching. (Interviewee D, 2009) I wasn’t pushed…I really needed to do it. It was the next step on from doing the level 3.

15. 3. What is teaching? What difference in perception is revealed by these 3 quotes and what type of teacher said them? When I came into teaching I thought it was easy. All you had to was stand at the front and show someone how to put a roller in. I spoke to people and they learnt. That was my idea of teaching. Can I take them from where they are now to a different place and does that different place help?

16. How do trainees change? Most learner-educators initially worked within the stereotype of the traditional teacher but quickly came to realise that there was more to teaching than they had anticipated (Spenceley 2007 p.94) Trainees’ conceptualisation of teaching shifts from a predominately subject frame of reference to take greater account of learners’ needs and characteristics. (Maxwell 2004, p.1)

17. 4.What did I learn? When I started on the course I was J the hairdresser. When I finished on the course I was J the lecturer whose specialist subject was hairdressing. values about learning and inclusivity To devote “time finding out what level of understanding they already have “the basics” “loved learning theory” “found (theory) boring” The course made us realise that we are very good at teaching at the level we need to teach at. It also taught us that we teach in a very good subject area that students are interested in.

18. What did I learn? Writing for me was always a mystery and I steered away from it. But I can write now. C says that he did not at the time “…know where academic writing fits what we do”. I say this to my students…its all about research…they should take notes from general discussion. Once they’ve taken that note then it sticks. If everyone had been able to retell it in normal language I may have been more interested.

19. How did I learn? I personally liked the practical, someone coming to see me teach because that informs what I am doing, because the most important thing, no matter which way you look at it, is the learner. observations “brought me out of this isolation I was in. I didn’t know if what I was doing was right” Its only when you deconstruct something that you can reconstruct something in a positive way. N said that she wrote them because she had to and she couldn’t “remember what I wrote about”.

20. Where did I learn? I was supported by a mentor. That was the key, to have that mentor on board. If I had any uncertainties he was there for me…He was a real help to me.

21. Conclusion In-service training did have beneficial effect Motivation was intrinsic rather than extrinsic – Self confidence New teachers – practice Experienced – theory and research Supportive workplaces and mentors crucial High quality observations most important in developing practice

22. The course gave me wider knowledge about the ethos of teaching, what it’s all about, what it should be about, creativity, how to create activities and ideas…I got shared experiences and knowledge at College…it helps you to deconstruct it and think about it in more depth. What we actually learnt I don’t feel had a huge impact, but the way I had to write things, I actually picked up quite a lot.