How Teachers Learn: A Review of Research

What has the Coalition Government done for the development of initial teacher education?

“…Beginner teachers on English HE-led undergraduate and PGCE routes typically (Brown and McNamara, 2011) enjoy a graduated induction into the classroom, supported by in-school mentors and class teachers as well as by their HE tutor; they have frequent structured observations of their own and others' teaching; and they are supported by both school and HE mentors in analysis and evaluation of, and reflection on, classroom experience. Time in HE provides a theoretical and research-informed context and opportunity to build up reflective and practical skills and relate them to research-grounded knowledge, as well as to develop deeper subject-based and pedagogical knowledge, together with understanding and use of the research base.…”

“…Time in school provides for supported development of the application of that knowledge, of practical skills and reflection on those skills, and some development of contextualized small-scale and situated research skills. In each case the quality of the experience very much depends on the quality of mentoring available: at present in this country school mentors might be inexperienced in that role and in teaching, or highly experienced and knowledgeable about both; higher education mentors normally have at least a higher degree in education and usually have successful teaching experience behind them, but that might not be current (Brown and McNamara, 2011). In neither case does the mentor have to accredit their expertise for the very different task of educating beginner teachers.…”

“…When considering the nature and strengths of any current routes, it should be remembered that they draw for support on the expertise of teachers trained under earlier systems. For example, in the UK in the 1970s both undergraduate and postgraduate courses typically included substantial elements of evidence-based theoretical approaches to sociology, psychology, philosophy, history, and comparative education, giving beginner teachers a repertoire of well-founded knowledge that supported later professional development and deep reflective practice (Brown and McNamara, 2011). It is not clear that such in-school expertise is being replaced by current approaches to teacher education, although arguably beginner teachers are now starting their substantive careers with more extensive classroom experience.…”

“…There are some aspects of teaching, in particular know-how, that can be practised and analysed at a micro-level in 'laboratory' settings in HE, but that for mastery need an in-class setting within a school. Subject-specific, pedagogic, and other knowledge can be developed at scale with expert academics and peers in HE, in a setting that affords prolonged periods of learning, as can knowledge and skills for deep professional reflection, but they then need to be applied to the particular classroom setting of one's teaching, with the support of a knowledgeable and skilled mentor familiar with that setting (Brown and McNamara, 2011).…”

“…Some of the affordances of HE described here could be translated into school settings -provided there is sufficient time and an extensive grounded expertise, and that there is a sufficient variety and depth of colleagues to make it a rich and deeply reflective experience. Given schools' principal focus on educating 5-18-year olds rather than beginner teachers, this is unlikely to be achievable at scale, and cycling between HE and school settings in the early experience of a teacher has many benefits (Brown and McNamara, 2011).…”