The Evolution of Professional Standards in Welsh Education
The Welsh education system has undergone significant changes since 1999, prompted by poor performance in PISA assessments. A new curriculum, professional standards, and accountability structures have been introduced to empower teachers and schools. Key elements include increased autonomy, a focus on professional learning through action research, and a mandatory requirement for teachers to engage in research. This shift towards a collaborative, professional settlement marks a promising future for education in Wales.
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Who are we and what is our context? Who are we and what is our context?
Why have we embarked Why have we embarked upon this piece of research? upon this piece of research? The Welsh context for education
The Welsh journey... The Welsh journey... Devolution and control over education since 1999 Widespread perception that Wales has performed poorly in PISA over the last few cycles, compared to the rest of the UK OECD and global accountability issues Leading to a whole-scale restructure that would rest upon the wide engagement of the whole profession in shaping and owning [a] new curriculum (Donaldson, 2015), in setting out new professional standards for teaching and leadership, and in relaxing the accountability pressures on schools to build a collegiate outlook for educational professionals throughout the country.
In short... In short... The Welsh Government are promising increased autonomy for teachers and schools to mould their provision, suggested a new model of co- construction between practitioners and the state. In other words, a new professional settlement between the country and its educational workforce (Wales, 2017b).
A key element... A key element... The new Professional Standards are built on 5 elements, one of which is Professional Learning
Professional Learning... Professional Learning... This part of the Professional Standards emphasises the responsibility for teachers to: have 'structured engagement in an action research community...informed by wider reading and research findings on a national and international scale...' (Wales, 2017a)
Effectively... Effectively... There is now a mandatory requirement for teachers to engage in action research. It becomes a stated professional responsibility and requirement.
It is this mandatory aspect that particularly interested us, especially since so much existing research suggests that this type of research- based professional learning is at its most powerful when it is based upon an individual, personal sense of professional commitment (e.g. Frankham and Hiett, 2011; Walter and Briggs, 2012).
We wanted to better understand teachers own stories about professional learning We want to use these stories to help the Welsh Government fulfil/implement their vision We want to explore this idea of mandating a positive and productive relationship with action research for each and every teacher in Wales Our rationale Our rationale
Our approach Our approach Education in Wales encompasses formal and less formal approaches. We have broadened this to include other professions given that there is a broader vision of education being pursued by WG. The reality of policy in development will mean a tendency to focus on a single group of professionals (for example, school teachers).
What could we learn from the narratives of this wider group of professionals that would help us to build up a richer picture?
A Narrative Approach We have worked from a commitment to the concept that... 'Experience is fundamentally narrative' (Clandinin, 2016) And that there is a value in listening to... 'a big story s smaller articulations (Gubrium and Holstein, 2009)
Who did we talk to? Who did we talk to? School Teachers across the statutory age range College tutors (16 plus) Youth Workers (CYP up to 25) least homogenous group
These are the These are the stories we stories we heard (flavour heard (flavour of the of the perspectives of perspectives of our our participants) participants) Teachers' stories Tutors' stories Youth workers' stories
Autonomy Teachers' stories Teachers' stories (1) (1) Reflection Action research/ close to practice research
Institutional support Cultural shift Teachers' stories Teachers' stories (2) (2) Re-framing and re-focusing ideas Barriers = 'fads' and 'top-down transmission'
Standards? - Teachers' Teachers' stories (3) stories (3) They give a strong message, but can they activate that individualised, affective link that helped engage with the doing of action research in the first place?
Wide and diverse sector Further and Higher Education Act 1992 Incorporation & self-governance Business model approach The college The college sector sector - - challenges & challenges & opportunities opportunities Challenges Absence of an overall vision - insufficient strategic thinking & collaboration Overlapping roles and duplication of resources Opportunities Unified post-16 sector Tertiary Education Authority - single regulatory, oversight and coordinating authority Strategic review of research Professional Teaching Standards & regulation of the sector
Professional Standards in Colleges Professional Standards in Colleges
Teaching qualification seen as fulfilling requirements of the Standards Lack of infrastructure - no requirement to reference, evidence or measure Time constraints Professional Learning within a business model Stagnation of personal and professional development One size fits all approach Expected but not articulated Limited opportunities to collaborate outside own college Tutors stories Tutors stories - - Professional Professional Standards & Standards & Professional Professional Learning Learning Focus on professional values, behaviours and attributes
Contractual obligations V critical thinking and reflective practice Self-driven - Lack of opportunity, funding and time Lack of awareness and dissemination Tutors stories Tutors stories - - Reflective Reflective Practice & Practice & Action Research Action Research Optimism across the sector - appetite and anticipation amongst a new era of practitioners Importance, relevance and public value for money College investment and collaboration opportunities Welsh Government s National Research Strategy evidence-informed practice to inform pedagogy and in-the-moment decisions to become routine commitment to sharing research evidence and effective practice
Youth Work in Wales: Principles and Purposes
Youth workers Youth workers Identity Identity Identity Professional learning and agency Identity Identity Professional standards Reflective practice and research Identity Identity Identity
But is this action research? How these different groups of people interpret/relate to AR
Why are we here Value and the values of CARN Who is in the room? What have we missed?
Use your experience/perspectives to inform our thinking In this symposium we are hoping to and Help to develop recommendations for future policy
What are the other perspectives that we need to be considering? How do we support professionals to recognise the value of professional learning and practitioner research Key questions What might be missed How do we advise Welsh Government/what should our recommendations back to Welsh Governmentbe ?
Clandinin, D.J. (2016) Engaging in Narrative Inquiry. Kindle format [e-book reader]. Available at: http:www.amazon.co.uk (Accessed: 12 April 2018). Donaldson, G. (2015) Successful Futures. Cardiff: Welsh Government. Frankham, J. and Hiett, S. (2011), The Master s in Teaching and Learning: expanding utilitarianism in the continuing professional development of teachers in England , Journal of Education Policy, 26(6), pp.803 818. Gubrium, J. and Holstein, J. (2009) Analyzing Narrative Reality. Thousand Oaks: Sage. Wales, The Education Directorate (2017a) Professional standards for teaching and leadership. Available at https://hwb.gov.wales/professional- development/professional-standards/#new-professional-standards-for- all-school-practitioners (Accessed 15 October 2019). Wales, The Education Directorate (2017b) Our National Mission. Available at https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2018-03/education- in-wales-our-national-mission.pdf (Accessed 12 April 2019). Walter, C. and Briggs, J., (2012), What professional development makes the most difference to teachers?, Oxford: University of Oxford Department of Education. References
