M level PGCE: M level PGCE pilot research project - UCET presentation

Research into Masters level PGCE Responses from delegates at UCET Conference, 9^th November 2007

Alison Jackson, ESCalate ITE at the University of Cumbria was joined by Sandra Eady and Eamonn Pugh from the University of Cumbria to give a presentation outlining the background to the M level PGCE research project and sharing some of the early data with delegates. The presentation is available as a link to this page. In the workshop section of this session, delegates were asked to consider four questions and feedback ideas. These ideas will be used in the research project. This research is being carried out by ESCalate ITE at Cumbria in collaboration with 11 other HEIs and has the backing of UCET. The PowerPoint of this presentation is available as a download on this page.

Many thanks to all contributors to this. There are excellent ideas and many avenues to pursue. All responses have been transcribed and recorded verbatim with one or two extra links provided.

Question 1

What do you think are the benefits of Masters level study for the teaching profession?

· Promotes/facilitates critical reflection

· Develops an evidence-based pedagogic approach

· Opportunity to mix/exchange ideas/practice/principles with students in other settings

· External validation and enhanced credibility of the teaching profession in wider society

· Parity with international standards

· Creates opportunity for scaffolding career development/advancement through academic recognition

· Potential to create a culture of intellectual curiosity in pedagogy

· Parity with other ‘high level’ professions ((c.f. medical doctors/law/architects etc)

· Are we sure we don’t get this on the 'professional level'? We need to ask Heads

· Empowers professionals to challenge Government authority – with powerful, evidence-based reasoning

· Underlines the importance of teaching as a Masters-level profession

· Criticality

· Theory

· Education as a subversive activity

· John Furlong (This comment refers to the Keynote given at the UCET conference. The download for this can be found at http://ucet.ac.uk/196 )

· CPD/Future-proofing

· Anti-bunker mentality

Question 2

What do you think are the benefits of Masters level study for the individual student/teacher?

· Enquiry and questioning

· Criticality and contestability of knowledge

· Expansive

· Theorising, agentic teachers

· Beyond implementing/compliance

· Evidence-based practitioner

· Accreditation/promotion

· Re-tooling professional education - scholarly activity

· professional autonomy

· open-minded

· risk-taking

· reflective & reflexive

· assertive & self-assure· time/space to reflect

· ..and permission

· Over teaching – opportunities to address

· 'Critical educators' – Furlong – affords them opportunities/experience (This comment refers to the Keynote given at the UCET conference. The download for this can be found at http://ucet.ac.uk/196 )

· Subject-based (Secondary) - Specific to subject/pedagogy

· Confidence

· Road into CDPD/M level

· To signpost the possibility of education based on things beyond prescription, frameworks, National Strategies and educational diktats.

Question 3

What do you think are the benefits of Masters level study for the child?

· An intellectually questioning and stimulated teacher (both ITE and post-QTS)

· Ownership of the learning and teaching experience

· Innovative teacher

· Greater likelihood of teacher being adaptable/flexible to individual needs (personalised learning)

· Learning from a teacher who has been given ‘stilts’ and who can see over and beyond the immediate, the obvious, the accepted, the norm

· Potentially (but perhaps not a change from previous programmes) to be more knowledgeable/critical re pedagogic stance = better teaching and learning

· Confidence/criticality for teachers = potential to translate with children; with children becoming more confident/critical

· Ownership of my CPD = benefits for children/education - Q7,Q8,Q9 (research, innovation) (these standards are printed at the end of this document)

· Does an influence exist? How could we know? Indirect/direct? Is there a quantifiable answer? Short term/long term? Is this an answerable question?

· Maybe creating more critical teachers who don’t just accept what they’re told benefits children

· If the teacher is engaged in reflection they are likely to be more willing to a) observe children closely and b) invite children/work alongside children in shared knowledge/exploration/construction

· The opportunity for the teacher to be a member of a learning community allows the teacher to engage with children even more thoughtfully

Question 4

What key points do you think the data presented today tell us?

· Act as interesting openings – needs to be probed at a deeper level

· Responses need to be better differentiated – what is the difference between 'a little' and 'some'?

· What are perceptions of M level?

· It is a starting point for debate/research/application

· A degree of uncertainty of what M level study might involve.

· Depends why the data is being collected

· Context to which the answers refer needs to be unpacked re what courses they are responding from?

· Questions could be phrased more explicitly rather than generally

· Maybe that at this early stage the trainees ‘don’t know what they don’t know” and have high hopes for the value of M level (Good!)

· The preponderance of 'some' and 'a little' seems to suggest a degree of uncertainty (I am sure you’ve already noted this – apologies!)

· The initial data do not mean much at present (in their raw form)

· Need to disaggregate the data and match the questions to different groups. Possible variables: age, sex, institution, course/programme, SES, background experience (jobs, education)

· 4-point scale tends to produce a similar graph, regardless of questions

· Large sample, but they don’t know what they don’t know

· To what degree can this be said to be representative i.e. primary/secondary split (e.g. subject specialists with M level/PhD qualification) – do we think this is ‘important’ … secondary may say ‘No!’

Question 5

What are the key questions we should be asking and to whom in the next round of the research?

· Why is Masters level so important to the students?· In what ways do they consider studying at Masters level will contribute to their teaching?

· What do they think Masters level study is?

· What happens in 5/10 years time? (career prospects for professionals vs. Postgrad)

· What is M? Do the PGs know what ‘it’ is?

· In what ways will it impact teaching?

· Asking headteachers how they will support these teachers coming through the profession

· Revisit level students in their second year of teaching – to discuss/review impact on retention and practice

· What proportion of ‘M’ to ‘non-M’ is there?

· What is the impact on students who do not achieve M level?

· Does having an M level certificate enhance job prospects… initially? subsequently? After how many years?

· Does the research undertaken impact on the schools from which the research came?

· What would be the difference if you asked 'Professional Graduates' about theory? I think most PGs will expect that some knowledge of theory would be useful?

· How will studying at M level contribute to your teaching?

· What are the essential differences in opinions/answers between primary/secondary trainees and/or early years/primary trainees?

· Schools – what do staff in schools identify as ‘masterly’ in Masters qualified teachers?

· Headteacher – experiences/perceptions

· Qus re M level (not theory) – ref. to SEAL level descriptors i.e. p4, Q2)

· To what degree does assessment ‘derive’ M level programmes and credits (ask to HEI)

Extract from Standards for classroom teachers - http://www.tda.gov.uk/upload/resources/pdf/s/standards_framework.pdf Accessed 15.11.07.

Q7 a) Reflect on and improve their practice, and take responsibility for identifying and meeting their developing professional needs.

Q7 b) Identify priorities for their early professional development in the context of induction.

Q8 Have a creative and constructively critical approach towards innovation, being prepared to adapt their practice where benefits and improvements are identified.

Q9 Act upon advice and feedback and be open to coaching and mentoring