etuce survey on trends in teacher education etuce survey on trends in teacher education etuce...

ETUCE survey on trends in teacher education


ETUCE ConferenceBrussels, 12 June 2006

By

Jørgen Thorslund,

Director of Research & Development,

Jens Christian Jacobsen, lecturer,

University College of Greater Copenhagen.


Our perspective

A University College of Greater Copenhagen - with a mission for teachers professional development in a lifelong perspective

In charge of the Danish participation in the OECD activity: Teachers Matter: Attracting, developing and retaining effective teachers 2005.


Europe Needs Teachers!

Europe is confronted with a clear contradiction between the need for highly qualified teachers and the current policy of many member states. ETUCE has identified three crucial areas for action:

a. Improving initial teacher education to ensure high quality pedagogical and professional training to new teachers

b. Retaining and recruiting a sufficient supply of qualified teachers to maintain and improve the quality of the teaching profession

c. Ensuring that professional development is an integrated part of the teaching profession.


The focus of the survey

To identify, explore and assess trends in teacher education in Europe, aiming to obtain information regarding how to improve initial teacher education, how to retain and recruit qualified teachers and how to ensure professional development


Methods used in the survey (1)

Methological considerations:•A survey based on a organisational perspective – not research

The questionnaire consists of five parts:•Background information: The Organisation in the National context•Teacher education•The relationship between theory and practicum in teacher education•Trends in the latest changes of teacher education•In-service and postgraduate training

Survey among the 125 ETUCE member organisationsdistributed through ETUCE secretariat by emailqualitative data – trends to be interpreted


Methods used in the survey (2)

Validation of data•covering 23 out of 30 countries•No data from: Czech republic, Estonia, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain or Switzerland•33 affiliates out of 125•“Official” replies based on contact through the ETUCE secretariat•Replies validity depends on to which extent a policy in field has been articulated or mutual understanding may be found among affiliate staff•Detailed answers where elaboration are requested

Status June 2006: •Replies received from 33 member organization/23 countries at june 9 th

•No in-depth/cross cultural analysis has been possible so far•Final report will be produced in august/sept.


Main findings: Teacher education

The Institutional framework of teacher education:

Primary: college/University college: 52% University: 48%

Secondary: college/University college: 35% University: 65%

Duration of the present teacher education:

Primary school teachers: varies from 3 to 5 years

Secondary school teachers: from 3 to 7 years


Teacher education Is it a problem to attract qualified candidates to teacher education?

Yes: 59% No: 41% Reasons given for ”No”: employment is guarantied; shortages in specific subjects, admissions qualification may be increased

Has the government or your union taken specific initiatives within the last five years in your country to improve the admission qualifications or attract more qualified candidates?

Yes: 66 %, No:31% Initiatives taken: Increased demands of entryIncreased demands of entry in related to specific subjects Public campaignsChanges in teacher education

Has the government taken initiatives to implement the Bologna process in teacher education?

Yes: 81% no: 19%


The relationship between theory and practicum in teacher education

Similarities:The practicum is separated apart from academic school-periods. Furthermore the practicum is regarded as a separate subject of study along with the other scholastic subjects - except for Slovakia, according to answers

Students do have the possibility of working interdisciplinary during their formal education - except for Austria, Cyprus and Finland, according to answers. Results from international educational research are included and used in most teacher education programmes and in teaching practice - except for Italy, France and Austria, according to answers.


The relationship between theory and practicum in teacher education

Similarities:

ICT is formally included in all teacher education programmes, but it seems that in the Scandinavian countries and in central and eastern Europe teacher education do not have or use the necessary and sufficient economic resources for ICT while the old EU-member states say ‘Yes. Students do learn about and regularly use evaluation strategies in teacher education - except for Austria, Denmark and Germany, according to answers.


Trends in the latest changes of teacher education

Similarities:Most countries have seen reforms within recent years, but 6 countries have had no reforms since 2000 Evaluation of changes:To which degree is your teachers' union generally satisfied with the latest changes in the teacher education system?21% are stating ”very satisfied” and 21% ”not satisfied”. The majority states neutral (48%) Does your teachers' union consider the latest changes an improvement compared to former teacher education? An improvement: 34 % To some extent: 39% No improvement: 17%



%

Satisfied 52 73 60 69 52 38Not satisfied 34 17 23 17 34 54

The balance between the academic and teaching skills

The balance between theory and practice

The structure of the education

The duration of the education

The academic level The subject matters

How satisfied are you with the latest changes within teacher education concerning the following areas?



Changes to come:Does your teachers' union expect changes in teacher education in the nearest future?62% expects changes in years to come only 17% answers ”no” Has your teachers' union developed a strategy for improving your teacher education programmes? 66% have developed strategies, 34% has not Has your teachers' union taken actual initiatives to promote this strategy?62% has taken action to promote the strategy, 31% has not Is it a normal procedure for the government to consult your teachers' union in questions about changes in teacher education? Yes: 83% No: 17%


In-service and postgraduate training

Similarities:In-service and post-graduate training is an integrated part of the conditions of employment for 52% 'to some extent‘ - 34% Public institutions are the main suppliers of in-service and postgraduate training. In 31% of the cases, they have the market for themselves. In 69% there are private suppliers as well. But in no case private suppliers are mentioned as sole suppliers. Merit award is granted in relation to in-service and postgraduate activities (53%) but only 8 organisations (28%) notes merit award to be part of a collective agreement.


In-service and postgraduate training

Teachers participation in training:

It seems that the employee in some sort of agreement with the local leader of the school most commonly has the power for decision. In some cases (21%) local government as well is involved. Are the conditions for in-service and postgraduate training in your opinion satisfactory concerning quality, subjects and quantity? Quantity seems to bee the most important. 66% state not satisfactory, while only 56% concerning quality and 52% concerning subjects offered. Has your teachers' union developed a general strategy for in-service and postgraduate training. 72% states yes and in the additional remarks they stress the importance of a strategy concerning this matter.


Trends observed – in relation to crucial areas for action

Regarding improved initial teacher education to ensure high quality pedagogical and professional training to new teachers

Attraction of qualified candidates to teacher education is a problem particularly where employment is not guarantied and in 1/3 of all countries no initiatives have been taken. In 18% of countries the Bologna process is not being implemented

The practicum is separated apart from academic school-periods. Furthermore the practicum is regarded as a separate subject of study along with the other scholastic subjects

ICT is formally included in teacher education programmes, but it seems that the Scandinavian countries and the newcomers from central and eastern Europe do not have and use the necessary and suffi cient economic resources for ICT?

Students learn about and regularly use evaluation strategies in teacher education in most countries – but why not in Austria, Denmark and Germany ?



Ragarding retaining and recruiting a sufficient supply of qualified teachers to maintain and improve the quality of the teaching profession

Most ETUCE-members have developed strategies to retain teachers in the workforce and seem to agree on the means to fight too early retirement: Salary policies, tutoring in the early teaching-years, changing of the common demands to lighten the working conditions etc.



Ragarding that professional development is an integrated part of the teaching profession.

In-service and post-graduate training is not or only “to some extent” an integrated part of the conditions of employment in 51% of countries

Public institutions are the main suppliers of in-service and postgraduate training.In 69% there are private suppliers as well. Should this be increased?

41% states that they have no statistics whether members have participated in in-service or postgraduate training

The majority states that conditions for in-service and postgraduate training is not satisfactory neither in quantity nor in quality

28% of ETUCE members have not developed a general strategy for in-service and postgraduate training.


Professional development in a lifelong perspective – a model for interpretation

•first dimension: life long learning from novice to expert

•second dimension: the learning arena – from schooling to Collaborative practice


Provision of professional development

Learning arena Collaborative practice Scholastic forms

Expert

Novice


Professional development in a lifelong perspective

Learning arena Workplace learning Scholastic forms

Applied research

Certificate ProgrammePortfoliobased induction

Expert

Pedagogical research Ph.D programmes

School development project

Peer Supervision

Novice

Initial training

Master programmesPortfoliobased certification programme

Diploma Programmes

ConferencesSchool based Courses General Courses

etuce survey on trends in teacher education etuce survey on trends in teacher education etuce...

Documents

teacher education trends

teacher education etuce

teacher education methods

initial teacher education

present teacher education

etuce member organisations

teachers matter

effective teachers