A Plumber Who Teaches or Teacher of Plumbing? A study to inform a strategy for teacher learning and development, designed to provide opportunity for personalised learning and growth of dual professionalism, whilst also enabling achievement of the strategic plan and vision for a college of general further education in Suffolk.

Kirk, Rachel (2019) A Plumber Who Teaches or Teacher of Plumbing? A study to inform a strategy for teacher learning and development, designed to provide opportunity for personalised learning and growth of dual professionalism, whilst also enabling achievement of the strategic plan and vision for a college of general further education in Suffolk. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

This research project explored the approach and engagement with learning and development by teachers in the Education and Training Sector (ETS). The aim was to investigate and propose a strategy for teacher learning and development which might provide opportunity to meet both the aims of the organisation and individual needs of teachers to grow as dual professionals through teacher/employer negotiation. Underpinning this research was the concept that teacher learning and development should be based upon a model of Continuous Professional Learning (CPL) built upon a framework of constructivism (Wilson, 2014) encouraging andragogical learning (Knowles, 1984), through the use of social learning activities (Steward, 2009).

The project was based at one college in Suffolk using action research as the methodology, within the boundaries of case study. The research methods were questionnaires and group discussions with teachers at the Research College, a group interview with senior managers at the Research College, managers of teacher learning and development at another English college and a college of vocational education in Australia. Secondary evidence included documents from meetings at the Research College, notes from conferences and Ofsted reports.

Through the data analysis it became evident that teachers’ reflections on their experiences were negative and they saw teacher learning and development as a ‘done to’ process addressing college need rather than enabling professional growth. Research activity identified the need for organisational learning and development to be on-going but that there should be opportunity to provide learning and development for vocational upskilling and contextual understanding to support growth of dual professionalism. The outcome was a strategy for continuous professional learning which could offer opportunity for personalised and negotiated activity supporting dual professionalism whilst meeting the strategic aims of the college and improving the quality of teaching and learning.

Item Type: Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Education and Lifelong Learning
Depositing User: Jennifer Whitaker
Date Deposited: 11 Jun 2019 10:25
Last Modified: 11 Jun 2019 10:25
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/71309
DOI:

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