Teacher Education and Training in Wales

David Longman, Kerie Green, Ron JohnstonNewport School of Education

June 2010

Agenda

A quick overview of who are, where we work, what we do

Attending STLHE conference To build links between ourselves and Canadian

colleagues – starting with you! Talk for about 30-40 min and open to discussion, for

example: How is teacher training different in Canada? The take up of ICT in Canadian schools and HE How is ESDGC addressed in Canada?

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Newport School of Education

• Location, Newport School of Education• 10 HE institutions plus Open University• A small regional University:

F/T P/T Total

University 4,300 5,200 7,900

School of Education 900 2,200 3,100

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Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

• Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

• To enhance learning and teaching through pedagogical research

• Three umbrella themes: technology, sustainable development, and community learning

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Teacher Training in Wales

• Reconfiguration - Review of Initial Teacher Training Provision in Wales (Furlong Report) 2006

• From 7 providers to 3 collaborative Centres of Education, plus Open University

• University of Wales, Newport and University of Wales Institute, Cardiff have become the South East Wales Centre for Teacher Education and Training

• Operational from September 2009

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Routes into Teaching

• PGCE• Employment based • Combined BSc with QTS• Cert HE: Introduction to Secondary

Teaching• See http://teachertrainingcymru.org

A distinctive Newport course

• Two year BSc Secondary degrees with QTS• Alternative routes to the traditional PGCE:

(i) for those with non-traditional academic qualifications(ii) for those who have not yet acquired a first degree

• Important for widening participation • Priority 1 subjects mathematics, physics and

chemistry designated by WAG

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A student profile: Chris Silvester

“Redundancy forced me to evaluate my career options I knew that I loved teaching and mathematics was definitely the subject I wanted to teach. I knew I needed to top up my subject knowledge because my degree in Sport Recreational Management did not contain enough mathematics for entry on to a Secondary Mathematics PGCE course. The two year course here at Newport is perfect; my subject knowledge has been boosted and it will lead me to qualified teacher status at the same time.”

Achievement of QTS

School-based practical teaching competence assessed against Professional Standards for QTS

University-based coursework and examinations

Research and Development

Auditing subject knowledge in Mathematics, English, numeracy and literacy

Professional Development Planning (PDP) Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Scientific literacy and the role of science in

ESDGC

Audits (i)

• Problem addressed: relatively high differentiation in starting point in subject knowledge

• Context (i): new requirements in England for the ‘skills tests’

• Context (ii): new emphasis on PDP

Audits (ii)

• Supporting student learning in Mathematics through diagnostic testing

• Online, instant feedback with links to sources of support and leading to targets; student-led, i.e. some use it systematically

• Presentation at Escalate Conference

PDP (i)

• Problem addressed: diverse background of our intake

• Context: new requirements to develop wider view of employability and professional extension.

PDP (ii)

• Used Moodle to create two recording tools: one for general descriptions of learning strengths and areas for development; one for setting SMART targets.

• Some students find target setting and addressing them challenging

• See: Newport CELT Journal, Longman et al, 2008 and 2009

TEL (i)

• Problem addressed: meeting the needs of HE students in an appropriate and relevant learning environment, esp. digital

• Context: debate ‘digital natives’ versus ‘digital immigrants’ (e.g. CLEX Report)

TEL (ii)

• Issue: the ‘new pedagogy’ emphasises the learner at the expense of the teacher.

• Investigating the pivotal role of the teacher in ‘constructing constructivist TEL’. How far to the side must the guide be?

• See Newport Partnership Conference

ESDGC

• Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship.

• Recommended that ESDGC should be embedded in all subjects.

The role of science education in ESDGC• Why is science education important in this

context ?• “…understand that a goal of ESDGC is to enable action via informed

discussion and debate which may inform lifestyle changes choices and so positively influence both the individual and Society.” (Application Guide to Professional Standards for Teachers Embedding ESDGC, LLUK, 2009).

• The social consequences of a scientifically illiterate society are potentially great.(See: Johnston, 2009)

ESDGC: difficulties?

• What are we doing across our programmes to address these problems?

• What do we still need to do?• What do you do?

ESDGC: still to do?

• “Although pupils express concern about the environment and generally think that they can make a contribution to solving issues they show a general lack of interest in learning about scientific causes of environmental damage such as the greenhouse effect and the ozone layer.” (ROSE survey in Scotland: Finlayson & Roach, 2007)

• Environmental education has an important role to play across all phases of education. (See Johnston, 2002)

Future links?

• Thank you for meeting us today.• Taking it further:

• Always welcome at University of Wales Newport to share common interests.

• Explore digital links between students and staff?• Exchange visits, e.g. school experience?

• Principal contact: david.longman@newport.ac.uk • Return to agenda

Links and References (i)

• Longman D, Jones L, Green K and Kurzik R.B. (2008) Auditing and assessing subject knowledge in initial teacher training using online methods. Newport CELT Journal, volume 1, pp. 35-39 URL: http://www3.newport.ac.uk/docstore/n/shasle01/NCJ0806.pdf

• Longman D, Jones L, Green K and Kurzik R.B. (2009). Developing teachers of tomorrow: embedding knowledge audits in personal development planning. Newport CELT Journal, volume 2, pp. 63-68. URL: http://www3.newport.ac.uk/docstore/n/vandri01/NCJ0907%20Green%20et%20al.pdf

Links and References (ii)

• Johnston, R.A.S. (2002) “Wild Berwyn or Coy Nature Reserve : a changing landscape.” Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, 7, (2)

• Johnston, R.A.S. (2009) "The role of science within education for sustainable development and global citizenship: ESDGC within science education".  In Linking Research and Teaching in Higher Education. Proceedings of the Newport NEXUS conference Special Publication No.1 pp. 27-33