Search results for: Scotland

The purpose of this study is to describe the professional development needs and activities of 61 teacher educators across six national jurisdictions (England, Ireland, Israel, Norway, Scotland and The Netherlands) and to reveal influencing factors and affordances conducive to professional development. Semi-structured interviews constituted questions on professional learning opportunities and teacher education and research. Results from the interviews convey themes around the areas of (i) self-initiated professional development, (ii) the importance of experiencing professional development through collaboration with peers and colleagues, (iii) accessing opportunities to improve teacher education teaching practices, and (iv) the inextricable link between teaching and research and, consequently, the need to upskill in research skills. Discussion points that arise include the induction period, frustration and tension in navigation, haphazard professional learning and learning with, and from, each other.

This study examined relationships between the recruitment practice and contexts for recruitment to initial teacher education (ITE). The authors found that policy makers in England have recently shifted the balance of responsibility for recruitment from higher education institutes (HEIs) to schools. The policy makers in Wales are considering a similar change, but at present their recruitment is firmly in the control of HEIs. The authors found that the recruitment to ITE in Northern Ireland remains firmly in the control of HEIs whilst policymakers in Scotland remain committed to its partnership of HEIs and local authorities in recruiting to ITE.

The present article traces the key periods, players and events which have contributed to the shaping of the current landscape of teacher education in Scotland. The authors examine ebb and flow amongst General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS), government, colleges of education and universities. The authors conclude that the rate of change in Scotland is often glacial, with two major factors contributing to that, the conservatism of the teacher unions and indirectly of the GTCS on which these unions have a majority. However, Scotland is now committed to a career-long process of professional learning with periodic review of individual teacher progress and is moving towards a profession which is qualified to postgraduate Master’s level. In all of this, the teacher education faculties in universities play a part, in partnership with schools and local authorities.

This paper examines school–university partnership and formative feedback within student-teacher field experience. The authors examine the qualities of a three-way dialogue about student-teacher progress, and the issues that militate against feedback being used to maximise professional development. This small study of additional support for students on field experience indicated that there were positive outcomes regarding the three-way dialogue about student-teacher progress. This dialogue gave a greater focus to the whole feedback process, encouraging the student to consider the learning goals of placement more clearly. And, particularly from the tutor point of view, this more intensive contact with the partner schools helped by giving an even greater incentive to the tutors to have a secure professional relationship with each other and thus with the schools.