1
Improving Teacher Quality Trends in European
Countries

• Address by Prof. John Coolahan
• To the
• OECD Mexico Joint Conference
• Improving Quality in Education
• 10 December 2008, Mexico City

2
Improving Teacher Quality for the Knowledge
Society

• Structure of the Address
• Teacher Quality an International Concern Why?
• Schooling in the Knowledge Society
• Focus on the Teacher as Key Social Mediator
• Distillation of Good Practice Trends
• Need for Comprehensive Policy on Teaching Career
• Recruitment for Quality
• Qualitative changes for Teacher Education
  Departments
• Curriculum of ITE Evaluation
• Induction and INSET (CPD)
• Some Career Issues and Quality

3
Teacher Quality A Major International Concern

• Range of Studies e.g.
• - OECD
• Teachers Matter (2005) School Leadership (2008)
• Talis ?
• - EU
• Education of Teachers and Trainers (2002-06)
• - World Bank
• Learning to Teach in the Knowledge Society
  (2005)
• - UNESCO
• Education for all The Quality Imperative
  (2005)
• - McKinsey Report
• Best Performing School Systems(2007)
• Why the Concern?
• What are the Main Implications?

4
Features of the Knowledge Society

• Depth and Extent of Societal Change
• Accelerated Growth of Knowledge All Disicplines
  
• Globalisation Impact
• Impact of the ICT Revolution
• Demographic Trends ?H.R.D.
• Changing Character of Work
• Multiculturalism
• Press for Accountability/Transparency
• Internationalisation of Educational Thought,
  Practice

5
Unprecedented Historical Challenge

• To Educate People for Longer Periods of their
  Lives than Ever Before in History
• To Educate the Most Diverse Student Body in our
  History to Higher Standards than Ever Before.
• In Developed Countries the Era of Lifelong
  Learning
• Need for New Educational Outcomes, Capabilities,
  Characteristics
• ? The Changing School
• ? The Teacher as Key Social Mediator

6
The Changing School in the Knowledge Society

• Extended Role
• Inclusive Clientele
• Centrality of Quality Teaching and Learning
• Emphasis on Learning to Learn Motif
• Curricular, Pedagogic and Assessment Reform
• Integration of ICT
• Whole School Planning
• Teamwork, Collegiality
• Relations with Parents, External Agencies

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• Teachers are central to schooling. They are
  even more critical as expectations grow for
  teaching and learning to become more
  student-centred and to emphasise active learning.
  They must be in the vanguard of innovation,
  including the informed, judicious use of ICT.
  Teachers must work in collaboration with
  colleagues and through networks as well as
  through active links with parents and the
  community.
• This calls for demanding concepts of
  professionalism the teacher as facilitator as
  knowledge, expert individual as networked team
  participant, oriented to individual needs
  engaged both in teaching, and in research and
  development. The role of the school principal in
  providing leadership is particularly critical.
  
• OECD

8

• Providing the conditions which adequately
  support teachers and trainers as they respond to
  the challenges of the knowledge society,
  including through initial and inservice training
  in the perspective of lifelong learning and
  securing a sufficient level of entry to the
  teaching profession, across all subjects and
  levels, as well as providing for the long-term
  needs of the profession by making teaching and
  training even more attractive.
• (Council of European Union Educ. 27, 6366/02)

9
McKinsey Report (2007)

• Three Things Matter Most
• Getting the Right People to Become Teachers
• Developing Them into Effective Instructors
• Ensuring the System is able to Deliver the best
  possible Instruction for Every Child.

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Dilemma

• Increasing Demands on Teachers
• In Knowledge Society
• Image
• Recruitment
• Induction
• Retention
• Ageing
• Feminisation
• Salary Slippage
• Conditions of Work
• Problems of Teaching

11
Coherence of Policy

• Recruitment / Retention
• I.T.E.
• Induction 3 Is
• Inset
• Professional Development / Diversification
• Ed. Research and Teachers
• Salaries
• Conditions of Work/ Welfare
• Teaching Resources, ICT etc.
• Role in Policy Formulation
• Self-Regulation

12
Teacher Education and the Teaching Profession

• Much Variation Internationally
• Shaped by Historical, Cultural, Religious,
  Economic, Political Influences
• Yet Increasing Commonality of Issues and Policies
• Aim to Distil Key Trends
• Improving Teacher Quality is not A Quick Fix -
  needs sustained attention

13
Recruitment / Selection Issues

• Image of Profession
• Quality Needed
• Varied Pattern
• Role Models
• Female/Male Imbalance
• Mature Students
• Provision for Career Transfers
• Mode of Selection

14
Changing Profile of Education Departments

• Synergies, Benign Cycle

15
Curriculum of I.T.E.

• Subject to On-going Reforms
• Components Academic Subjects
• Educational Sciences
• Methodologies / Didactics
• Teaching Practice
• Rationale The Reflective Practitioner
• Variety of Teaching Learning Styles
• Small-group and Individual Attention
• Incorporation of ICT
• Research Emphasis

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Variety of Methods

• Lectures
• Tutorials
• Teaching-Learning Seminars on Subject Teaching
• Small Group Work in Teaching Labs
• Video Work
• Individual Hands ON Technology Sessions
• Workshops
• Teaching Practice
• Guidance and Feedback

17
School-Based Experience

• Increasing Importance
• Nature of the Experience
• Patterns of Placement
• Not Just T.P.
• College-School Partnerships
• Role of School Mentors Training Rewards
• Evaluating T.P.
• Linking Theory and Practice
• Promotion of Action Research / Self Appraisal

18
Evaluation of T.Ed.

• Much Emphasis on Outputs, Competences Varied
  Approaches to Competences
• Significance of Reflective Journals, Research
  Projects
• Quality Assurance Processes Peer Evaluation
• Student Evaluations
• Views of Inspectorates / Stakeholders
• Professional Bodies / Teaching Councils
• Views of Teacher Unions.

19
Induction

• Idea Generally Accepted
• Variation of Policy Response
• Draw on Good Practice / Pilot Experiences
• Plan for Reduced Workloads
• Mentor Provision and Training / Role
• Partnership of Schools, Teaching Institutions
  Education Centres, Support Services
• School Leadership Role
• Problems of P.T. Beginning Teachers
• Induction Distinct from Probation

20
INSET__________C.P.D. (1)

• Integral to Career Investment
• Broad Interpretation within Strategic Policy
• Compulsory Voluntary Rights
• Variety of Types, Providers, Themes, Duration
• Time / Timing
• Linked to Career Stages
• Methodology Interactive
• Involvement of the Profession

21
INSET ___________C..P.D. (2)

• Award-Bearing College-Based, Distance Ed.
• School-Based Dimensions
• Sustained R. D. Approach
• Clusters / Network Approach
• New Initiatives Support Groups, Education
  Centres
• Research Aspects
• Evaluation / Feedback

22
Some Career Issues ? Quality

• Policy on Probation
• Support for Teachers in Disadvantaged Contexts
• Career Mobility / Flexibility
• Diversification of Career Structure
• Policy on Chronically Incompetent Teachers
• Needs of Older Teachers