Building an M level PGCE and developing routes for progression

Sheila King

Faculty of Culture and pedagogy

Director for Learning and Teaching (ITE)

Notice to readers of this presentation

These slides do not match what was presented at Conference. These slides include more text which informs the reader better than my simply including the chiefly visual slides of the presentation. During the session I used three cases studies of individual student teachers to outline ITE and M level progression.

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The Institute of Education-secondary

schools PGCE Partnership

•High quality Provider Grade A•1000+ Student Teachers

•Secondary - 720 Student Teachers •250+ Partnership Schools•14 Institute secondary subject areas•Over 40 secondary Institute Tutors, most

national experts in their field.

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How do we ensure that our M level is contributing to equipping

Student Teachers to be more effective teachers for the future?

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A PGCE with M level credits

Up to 90 transferable M level credits (180 credits= a full Master’s qualification)

30 credits -Subject Studies30 credits -Subjects in a wider context 30 credits -module which is chosen from a

wide range of options (see next slide)

+ 30 credits (non transferable) at H level Professional Practice with recommendation for

Qualified Teacher Status

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Examples of option modulesType 1

A Professional Learning Portfolio is built from 3 tasks relating to practical teaching and whole school issues.

Key principle = Developing reflective and reflexive practice

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Examples of option modulesType 2

A subject module, restricted to beginning teachers in the relevant subjects and which extends existing subject work.

•Learning outside the Geography classroom •Art & Design: Learning beyond the classroom •Historical consciousness & Public History •Religion and School Life •Learning opportunities beyond the music classroom

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Examples of option modulesType 3An open module available from within some MA courses

already offered by the Institute.

•Gender, Theory and Practice in Education •Philosophy of Education: Knowledge, Mind and Understanding •Philosophy of Education: Values, Aims and Society •Introduction to music technology in education (distance learning) •Learning to live together: children’s rights, citizenship and identities (distance learning) •Learning, Teaching and Assessment in Citizenship (distance learning)•Learning, Teaching and Assessment in Religious Education Teaching controversial issues

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A PGCE with M level credits3 progression routes

Route 1

A generic, early professional master’s course with mixed mode and face to face learning e.g. Master of Teaching.

Route 2

Subject specific Master’s e.g. MA Art & Design in Education, Geography in Education

Route 3

Specialist Master’s course e.g. MA Educational Foundations, Media Education, Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages.

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Progression in Masters courses – a survey

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Initial survey of M level progressionSample size so far = 121

1. Please tick the one statement most likely to apply to you and comment at the end to elaborate on any points.

a) I am likely to continue with a Masters starting during my NQT year 29%

b) I am likely to continue with a Masters after my NQT year 23%

c) I am likely to continue with a Masters at a date further into the future 31%d) I am not likely to be interested in using my M level credits 17%

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Initial survey of M level progressionSample size so far = 121

2. I am likely to opt for the following type of Masters. (Please tick one only)

a)MTeach 26%

b) A subject specific Institute Masters 14%

c) Another Masters from the existing Institute range 5%

d) I am undecided at this stage. 55%

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Initial survey of M level progressionSample size so far = 121

3. I am intending to complete a Masters in the first few years of teaching because; (Tick as many as you wish).

a) It will increase my chances of career progression 60% b) It will enable me to stay in contact with my PGCE tutors and with the Institute 18%c) It will enable me to stay in contact with my PGCE peers 19% d) It will help me develop specific knowledge and skills (e.g. SEN/Leadership/Teaching English overseas) 53%e) Other (please state)

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“We all feel the extra module has placed a great deal of stress on science Student Teachers particularly as:i)   a large number have found it difficult to write social science assignmentsii)  they are having to learn a lot of subject material (like physics and chemistry if they're a biologist)iii) the work load associated with it is high.iv) they are not clear they can actually cash in 90 credits”

Science team

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“We have seen some very good pieces of writing from Student Teachers, work that has been genuinely reflective and critical.  We could have more of that in science if we did not have so much volume to complete in a short time.”

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“On reading submissions for the option module Professional Learning Portfolio I am struck by the very good analysis of practice that this module can foster, and the way in which Student Teachers are now drawing on literature in their reflective writing.” A second marker who did not teach the module

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“I have thoroughly enjoyed undertaking the (option) MA module on Issues in Geography Education, particularly as it has made me think more critically.  The course topics are interesting and stimulating as they provide the challenge you need to become a better geography teacher. The module itself is set up in such a way that it helps you become an effective reader and enhances your academic writing skills.  The weekly readings help you focus on specific issues which you are asked to comment on. This gives you autonomy in your thinking and prepares you to develop reflective and critical writing, which is shared with other students on the course.  You get to read each others commentaries and appreciate or contest each others views.  I was particularly impressed with the way commentaries were posted and then summarised on a weekly basis. ” Geography Student Teacher

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Important questions….

•Are tutors focusing more on academic nature of assignments needed for M level than on teacher education ? Are workloads higher and if so how is that having an impact on professional practice?

•Are Student Teachers focusing more on academic nature of assignments needed for M level than on being an effective classroom teacher ? Are workloads higher and if so how is that having an impact on professional practice?

•Are schools finding differences in their Student Teachers this year compared to last? (distracted by their assignments? Engaged by their greater reflection and criticality?) If so how is that having an impact on professional practice?

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What next?

Continued monitoring ( Student Teachers, Tutors at Institute and in schools, external examiners) ….not a quick process…needs several years to bed down

Make changes resulting from 2007-8

Continue to work on progression routes

MTL – be involved in shaping it – be wary of what it offers

Share practice and disseminate

MTeach – what is distinctive•Focused professional development•Sharing and critical analysis of professional practice•Underpinned by reading, enquiry and research literacy•Explores alternative perspectives and possibilities for change•Mixed mode of delivery; face to face and electronic communications •Tutor group system and wider ‘learning community’•Assessment opportunities arise from the participant’s practice•Assessment based on a variety of forms: portfolios, reflective journals and evidence studies

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Understanding Teaching – the NQT module ( 30 M credits) A long, thin module over 1 year

Specialist NQT tutor

Community of NQTs

3 face to face meetings on Saturdays

Computer mediated communication with individual work and group discussion

Assessment through 4 online tasks, 3000 word assignment

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