This book provides a call to action for post-compulsory teacher education professionals, both in the UK and internationally, to unite around key principles and practices. The professional, educational and funding turbulence experienced by... more
This book provides a call to action for post-compulsory teacher education professionals, both in the UK and internationally, to unite around key principles and practices. The professional, educational and funding turbulence experienced by post-compulsory teacher education since 2008 has been significant. Austerity financing and increasing government intervention have provided many new and difficult challenges. At the same time evidence is building that the quality of teaching is the most important contributor to the quality of learning and achievement, and teacher education is demonstrably one of the most important influences on that teaching quality. The mainly workplace-based partnership model of teacher education used in the post-compulsory education (PCE) sector resonates well with a number of key current developments in the UK and broader field of teacher education. PCE teacher educators are particularly well placed to tell their story and share their vision of a better future ...
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Abstract: Learner support, defined as the strategies which empower learners to establish and fulfill their learning, career and personal potential, continues to be a key issue in current thinking in the post-16 education sector. An... more
Abstract: Learner support, defined as the strategies which empower learners to establish and fulfill their learning, career and personal potential, continues to be a key issue in current thinking in the post-16 education sector. An earlier project report from the West Country ...
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This research explored the professional situation of teacher educators in the Lifelong Learning Sector (LLS), and how a deeper understanding of their professional situation could enhance their future support, professional development and... more
This research explored the professional situation of teacher educators in the Lifelong Learning Sector (LLS), and how a deeper understanding of their professional situation could enhance their future support, professional development and working context. The research followed a mixed methods methodology, and six research phases took place including focus groups, a literature review, and an evaluation of a CPD programme. The largest online survey of this particular group to date was also carried out and 161 teacher educators participated in that survey. The results of the research provided rich insights into their values, experiences, particularly challenging working context and support needs. The knowledge resulting from the research included recognition of the multiplicity and complexity of the role and how LLS teacher educators manage it. The multiplicity and complexity was characterised as the ‘more than a teacher’ quality, and teacher education professionals as ‘triple professio...
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This question - ‘What are the characteristics of a professional teacher educator?’ - was simply sent out as a survey to all teacher educators who engage with the Teacher Education Advancement Network (TEAN). The aim was to give... more
This question - ‘What are the characteristics of a professional teacher educator?’ - was simply sent out as a survey to all teacher educators who engage with the Teacher Education Advancement Network (TEAN). The aim was to give respondents the opportunity to comment from their own perspectives, whatever they were, thus adding their voices to our search for the characteristics of professional teacher educators. The resulting data were collated and refined by the authors of this paper who then worked together to write the think piece. As a think piece it sets out to provoke a response from its readers and hopes that readers will ‘think’ and use it to share in dialogue with colleagues and continue to add their voices to this debate.
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... (Fisher and Simmons 2010: 7) The learning and skills sector is a very complex and ... 12 Page 26. What is post-compulsory education? So a teacher in CLD may well work teaching GCSEs, foreign languages, basic skills or other subjects... more
... (Fisher and Simmons 2010: 7) The learning and skills sector is a very complex and ... 12 Page 26. What is post-compulsory education? So a teacher in CLD may well work teaching GCSEs, foreign languages, basic skills or other subjects as part of an adult education programme. ...
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in Hamilton et. al, (2005) (Eds) 'New ways of engaging new learners: lessons from round one of the practitioner-led research initiative.' London: NRDC
This research explored the professional situation of teacher educators in the Lifelong Learning Sector (LLS), and how a deeper understanding of their professional situation could enhance their future support, professional development and... more
This research explored the professional situation of teacher educators in the Lifelong Learning Sector (LLS), and how a deeper understanding of their professional situation could enhance their future support, professional development and working context. The research followed a mixed methods methodology, and six research phases took place including focus groups, a literature review, and an evaluation of a CPD programme. The largest online survey of this particular group to date was also carried out and 161 teacher educators participated in that survey. The results of the research provided rich insights into their values, experiences, particularly challenging working context and support needs. The knowledge resulting from the research included recognition of the multiplicity and complexity of the role and how LLS teacher educators manage it. The multiplicity and complexity was characterised as the ‘more than a teacher’ quality, and teacher education professionals as ‘triple professio...
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Much of the drive towards greater utilisation of learning technology at the start of the twenty-first century is framed within the language of hyperbole. The term 'transformation' makes particularly regular appearances within... more
Much of the drive towards greater utilisation of learning technology at the start of the twenty-first century is framed within the language of hyperbole. The term 'transformation' makes particularly regular appearances within policies, publications and research which are suggesting that major changes in the landscape of teaching and learning are within our grasp, and that the developing capability of learning technology is the central tool which can help to achieve such a transformation. The examples below illustrate the almost mythical status of learning technology: We want to use ICT to build a society where everybody has the opportunity to develop their potential. We will ensure that all those working in our education and children's services are able to use the technology well. From that baseline, we can effect a genuine transformation of provision in the future. (DfES 2005: 10-11) E-learning will inevitably transform all forms of education and learning in the twenty-...
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Background Across the world poverty and social exclusion are at problematic levels and a number of indicators show the gap between rich and poor to be widening. In the UK there are signs of some improvement in participation in adult... more
Background Across the world poverty and social exclusion are at problematic levels and a number of indicators show the gap between rich and poor to be widening. In the UK there are signs of some improvement in participation in adult learning and improving educational standards. However,older citizens, the unemployed or"not in the labour force” and early school leavers feature consistently in the groups of persistent non-learners. Many governments, educationalists and researchers believe that distributed and electronic learning (DEL) has the potential to contribute to addressing problems of social exclusion and non-participation in learning. A recent study (NIACE 2001) found that people with access to the Internet are twice as likely to be learning as people without and there is widespread concern about the so-called digital divide. There are some signs of a reduction in the “digital divide” in the USA, with lower income and social groups making more use of the Internet. In the ...
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The Lifelong Learning Sector (LLS) in England is a complex, heterogeneous sector providing a huge range of education and training to over four million learners in a broad range of settings. The LLS student body is diverse and includes... more
The Lifelong Learning Sector (LLS) in England is a complex, heterogeneous sector providing a huge range of education and training to over four million learners in a broad range of settings. The LLS student body is diverse and includes people from a wide variety of ...