TELL – Cheltenham – February 2015

How can a deeper understanding of the professional situation of LLS teacher educators

enhance their future support, professional development and working context?

A DefinitionWhat do we mean by ‘Teacher Educators’?

any teaching professional supporting the learning and development of trainees on any of the currently recognised ITE awards in the Lifelong Learning sector

This could be a tutor, mentor, observer.

They could be working on one or more of a number of courses (PTLLS, CTLLS, DTLLS, Cert Ed, PGCE)

Reach of research• A total of 756 engagements with

practitioners (sum total of people who were been engaged by attending workshop sessions, completing the online questionnaire or being involved in other project activity).

• 140 organisations • 180 current teacher trainees• 211 new or experienced teacher educators,• 25 prospective teacher educators • 161 survey respondents (who were all current

teacher educators)

Estimated total of TEds - 1500

Survey Findings

Percentage of time involved in teacher education.

• 65.6% of participants spent over 50% of their time involved in ITE, but only part of this time spent teaching / supporting students / trainees.

• 49% of participants are spending over 50% of their time teaching / supporting students.

• 70.4% of female participants are teaching for more than 25% of their time, as against 55.7% of male participants. This further reinforces the suggestion that teacher education is a feminised area of work.

Survey FindingsTop essential characteristics

• flexibility, adaptability, availability - 90.7%• gaining the professional respect of other teachers

- 87.6% • the ability to model good practice in teaching -

86.3%• passionate about teaching and learning - 85%

Top development needs• the 'even more quality' (a term suggested by a

discussion group participant in the early stages of the project) area highest development need - 49.7%

• being innovative and charismatic - 32.9% (perhaps out of modesty!)

Survey Findings

Comments on Characteristics• Courage to stand firm amidst changes

that are not always wise. Ability to provide multi-culture and internationalist perspectives and to challenge received views.

• Infinite patience and the capacity to challenge self and others' actions and values

Survey FindingsSubject Knowledge

Top Three areas of knowledge• the wider benefits of learning - 87.1%• teaching and learning principles and practice

across the whole teaching cycle - 86.2% • pedagogy (theoretical and procedural knowledge

of teaching) - 76.3%. Highest development needs

• embedding sustainable development in teaching - 74.8%

• embedding Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in teaching - 59.7%

Survey Findings

Comments on knowledge• because the LL sector changes so

rapidly, all of these will always be areas for further development in order to keep up to date with knowledge.

• A broader more holistic knowledge of the PCET sector and its associated learners from voluntary, community, FE,HE and penal education

Characteristics and values of

Teacher Educators• Already experienced teachers• Routes into teacher education varied• Directly involved in developing the teaching

workforce• Also developing the teaching community• Modelling teaching and values of critical

autonomy• Passionate about teaching and learning• Contested areas of teaching and learning

theory

FRAMEWORKSTHE ‘CONNECTED PROFESSIONAL’

1. The Practical ConnectionPractical underpinning of teaching skills, knowledge, understanding and application.2. Democratic connectionThe active involvement in democratic action. 3. Civic connectionThe ‘Civic Connection’ is the active engagement in civic action with the wider community to support and enact development.4. Networked connectionThe cultivation, involvement and sustenance of the means of active engagement with other professionals and the wider community. The networked connection is the key to ‘switching on’ the other three connections of the connected professional.

Way of making it work .. ‘Learning design system’

‘TEACHER EDUCATOR AS CONNECTING PROFESSIONAL (TEACP)’1. Connected Professional•Practical, Democratic ,Civic and Networked connections•Way of making it work .. ‘Learning design system’2. Pedagogy of teacher education•General pedagogic principles: recognising the moral role of teacher education; modelling practice and ‘golden moments’; recognising the value and place of learning theory; developing learning communities of reflective practitioners and connecting theory, practice and workplaces. 3. The multiplicity of role, purpose, location and expectation•Recognising and embracing multiplicity and diversity to manage and develop expansive learning opportunities and make sense of working and learning environment. 4. Professional Development and Support•The processes and practices which enable TEds to make their journey from being a teacher to a teacher educator successfully and to operate and develop as a practitioner.

Recommendations• Recommend adoption of connected professional

and TEACP.• Creation, supporting and facilitating of local,

regional, national and global networked communities of LLS TEds

• Development of a Teacher Education Manifesto• Support FES TEds in carrying out, publishing and

applying / disseminating research• Further research into the professional situation of

FES TEds.• Further support for CPD for FES TEds, prioritising

ICT