REFLECTING ON ‘TEACHERS AS DESIGNERS OF LEARNING’
CEASA Spotlight Series 2012
Current contexts
Australian curriculum New SACE AITSL and national standards NAPLAN and standardised testing Gonski report/Gratton report etc International comparisons Complexity of learners and learning
contexts Teacher wellbeing and workforce issues New (state) minister of education
Teacher knowledge
Content knowledge Pedagogical knowledge Pedagogical content knowledge Knowledge of self as teacher and learner Knowledge of learners and school
communities Knowledge of working with others
‘Designing’ learning
Planned Purposeful Context specific Dynamic and responsive to need Evidence and experience (practice)
based Inquiry and research based Manageable, resourced and supported
Valuing teachers
To prepare and implement designed learning
Trusting teacher judgement, expertise and professionalism
Providing professional learning opportunities, pedagogical tools, time and contexts/situations for ongoing learning and implementation of learning
Support through wider networks
Networks of support
Australian Government MCEECDYA, DEEWR, AITSL
Jurisdictions/sectors DECD, AISSA, CESA
Professional associations Common interests and needs Support, resourcing and learning opportunities
Faculties, schools and school hub groups Local, context specific support
APTA and CEASA Collective grouping of teacher associations to
represent teacher voices and facilitate action, including professional learning
‘Brokering’ negotiations and representation with other networks
Focus on jurisdictions/sectors What approaches did each have to
support teachers to be designers of learning? What issues were prioritised by each? What the research tells us Pedagogical tools and practices (e.g. TfEL) Dedicated Australian Curriculum PL Dedicated National Standards focus Establishing partnerships of practice
What cross-sectorial benefits were there? Shared knowledge, experience and resources
Collaboration
Teachers on own pursuing PL, working with issues, working with ‘tools’ can make small gains
Teachers working together make larger gains Teachers working together and with sectors
and associations make larger gains Compounded benefits of wider collaboration,
across and between networks, including sectors, schools, professional associations, CEASA, teacher educators and researchers, etc
Teachers as designers of learning Valued, competent and confident Engaged in collegial sharing, networking
and collaboration Better learning outcomes Improved teacher (and learner) wellbeing Enhancement and sustainability of teaching
profession
