M level PGCE: M level PGCE research pilot

Background to the research

The aim of this research is to track the progress and effect of Masters level PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) provision in England from September 2007 with the intention of investigating the value-added it brings to the teaching profession. The research project is led by ESCalate ITE (Initial Teacher Education) in collaboration with members of staff from the Education Faculty of the University of Cumbria. It is in collaboration with colleagues from the Universities Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) and with colleagues from a broad spectrum of ITE providers in England. It is hoped that data will be collected from a range of institutions to enhance the results. ESCalate will run seminars to enable discussion and analysis of the results to come from across the community.

The scope of the research project in the first instance is to be manageable within the funding and staff time available. This funding and staff time is limited for 2007-8. Therefore this is to be viewed as a ‘pilot’which will hopefully be followed up in subsequent years by more robust research. The research project hopes to benefit from examples of Masters level PGCE provision from the four countries of the UK and from international links.

The research project sets out to investigate attitudes and perceptions concerning the inclusion of Masters level elements in the PGCE course amongst four groups of participants; student teachers, school mentors of student teachers, headteachers and teacher educators. It is not age range specific although the findings may be presented as relevant to Early Years, Primary and Secondary education whenever relevant. The first part of the research project will follow the Masters level PGCE cohort through the academic year September 2007 to June 2008.

The research project will look for the perceived benefits to the teaching profession of Masters level PGCE in terms of value-added. Value-added is defined as follows:

Value-added is the enhancement that students achieve (to knowledge, skills abilities and other attributes) as a result of their Higher Education experience. Enhancement is a process of augmentation or improvement. http://www.qualityresearchinternational.com/glossary/valueadded.htm

In this context, value-added can be extended to embrace the perceived value added to the teaching profession of Masters level credits.

Latest news

15.11.07.

Ten HEIs have signed up to participate in the research and the first results from the new cohort of students are in from the University of Cumbria, the Institute of Education and one section of Sheffield Hallam,

ESCalate has presented the research project and findings to date at the UCET conference in November. There was a chance for delegates there to add their voice to the analysis of data and by accessing the link, you will find how to add your voice to the debate.
10.1.08.
Data has been collected from student teachers as they have started the M level PGCE courses in their institution. Those institutions involved in the research have been invited to a meeting to at the Institute of Education at the end of January. Details of outcomes of the meeting will be posted on the Help Directory.
21.1.08.
The following HEIs have contributed data for the research - University of Cumbria, the Institute of Education, Sheffield Hallam University, Huddersfield University, Southampton University, Liverpool John Moores University, the University of Wolverhampton and Edge Hill University. We have 1341 responses to the intial student questionnaire and 35 responses from teacher educators. There is also a rich bank of interview data from students and teacher educators. Some HEIs who are starting their courses in January will join un the research in the Spring.
8.2.08.
The University of Bedfordshire and further data from Sheffield Hallam University have been collected and will be added in as soon as possible.
Maryvale Institute and the University of Worcester are joining the project this term.
The meeting at the Institute of Education to discuss some of the findings to date took place on January 30th, 2008 and there was an interesting lively debate. A resume of ideas from these meeting is available on this page.
The next stages of the research will start this term.
23.4.08.
The first data has now been synthesised into a PowerPoint presentation showing questionnaire and interview results. The attachment is on this page. The research to date has been shared with the TDA and will be presented at the BERA conference in September 2008. Another attachment to this page is the discussion generated by the Education Faculty of the University of Cumbria. Any comments on the data are very welcome and will be added to the growing bank of analysis.
4.06.08.
All the data from the first student questionnaires and interviews and the first teacher educator questionnaires and interviews is now complete. The download showing this has been updated on this page. Data is starting to come in from teacher mentors in schools and headteachers and also the second lots from student teachers and teacher educators. There will be a second meeting of the institutions involved in the data collection on July 7th 2008 at the Institute of Education. The results of discussions will be published on this site.
21.7.08.
A second meeting of representatives of the participating HEIs was held on July 7th 2008. In this meeting some questionnaires data from students gathered in the summer term of 2008 and also teacher mentors in schools and headteachers was gathered. A commentary on this data is available on this page, as is the accomplanying PowerPoint - both are labelled IOE July 2008. Interview data had only just started to trickle in and results of discussions on this will be posted in the autumn term 2008.
8.10.08.
The pilot project was presented to the NaPTEC (National Primary Teacher Education Council) conference on October 4th, 2008. Delegates were interested to hear the summary and consider again what 'M-ness' is and why we are doing Masters. There is some new interview data from students at the end of the course in June/July 2008, headteachers and teacher mentors in schools in the download - Naptec conference.
7.11.08.
The latest data was presented to the UCET (Universities Council for the Education of Teachers) conferenc on November 7th, 2008. Delegates considered the latest quantitative data from Headteachers and School mentors. In the download - UCET conference 2008 you will be able to access the PowerPoint. The very interesting thoughts from delegates are well worth a moment or two of your time - download UCET conference 2008 - delegates' thoughts on Masters.
2.3.09
The final report for the PGCE M level research is available in the Help Directory - http://escalate.ac.uk/5604.