“The Development of Q.A. within Teacher Education Policy in Ireland”

Address by Prof. John Coolahanto the

Colloquium on Quality Assurance in Teacher Education

U.C.D., 21 June 2010.

Structure of the Address Quality Teaching – A Major International

Concern The Irish Context Tradition of Teacher Education Structure of Teacher Education Teacher Education as Part of an Education

Reform Era New Approaches to Quality Assurance

International Influences on Q.A. OECD, EU Centrality of the Concept of “Competence” Contemporaneous Q.A. Development in

Ireland – NQAI – NQF European Meta-Framework Development The Teaching Council of Ireland Congruence of Thinking on Q.A.

Range of Studies e.g. OECD – “Teachers Matter” (2005) “School Leadership” (2008) Talis – “Creating Effective T. and L. Environments” (2009)EU - “Education of Teachers and Trainers”, (2002-06) - Conclusions of Council, 2007, 2008, 2009 - “A Handbook on Teacher Induction

Programmes”, 2010 World Bank, “Learning to Teach in the Knowledge

Society” (2005)

UNESCO, “Education for All: The Quality Imperative”, (2005)

McKinsey Report, “Best Performing School Systems (2007)

- Quality Frameworks NQFs – now 70 countries Bologna Framework (2005), now 46

countries European Qualifications Framework

(2008)

High Status / Social Regard of Teaching Profession

- National Survey, Nov. 2009 – 70% considered teachers did their work “very well” or “well”; 87% regarded as “a complex job”, 70% said teachers were “Very Trusted” or “Trusted”.

From a long occupational list, Teachers placed second – to Nurses.

- Very competitive entry to T. Ed. (Primary – Top Quintile; Sec. – 90% Hons. Degree)

- “There are no major publicly expressed concerns about teacher education, development or certification”, Country Background Report, for OECD, (2003).

Deep Roots – Prim. 1838; Techn. 1902 Sec. 1912Q.A. Prim. - Tight control by inspectorate - 1974 – Validation by universities Sec. - 1915 Registration Council 1918 R.C. in Operation, until

2006 System of External Examiners in Universities.

Primary5 Colleges of Education – linked to Universities B Ed. – Concurrent 3 year Consecutive – Degree + 18 months Followed by 1 year of successful probation 2003 Hibernia On-Line Provision (HETAC)Post Primary Consecutive – 3/4 Yr. Degree + 1 Year Education Concurrent 4 Years Followed by 1 year successful probation

Traditionally informal2002-10 “Pilot” Programme for Prim and

P.P. Involvement of universities, colleges of

education, DES, and Teaching Profession- Partnership Approach- Action Research Model- Formal Evaluation- Yet to be extended nationally

Well establishedMany formats- Post – grad. Courses – formally evaluated- Great variety of short courses,

- many providers- 30 Education Centres- Subject Associations- Extensive Support Services – Skilled and

Trained Peers – Curriculum, Leadership, Planning

- Evaluations- Being Curtailed

1990s Era of Major Appraisal and Reform of Education

Focus on the Quality of Teacher Education- 1991 OECD Report; 1992 Green Paper; 1994 National Education Convention;

1995 White Paper – Gov. Accept 3’Is policy

1998 – 2002 Reviews of Prim. and P.P. Teacher Education

Extension and Restructuring Recommended No Time Extension

Course Adaptations Occurred

1995 Universities Adopt New Q.A. Procedures - Institutional and Departmental

- Self-Appraisal, Peer Review, Report – Publication (periodic)

- External Examiners Continued - Professional Recognition (Reg. Council) for P.P.

1996 – Irish EU Presidency – “A Strategy for Lifelong

Learning” Concern for Co-ordinating Qualifications

“The overarching priority is for countries to have in place a clear and concise statement or profile of what teachers are expected to know and be able to do. This is necessary to provide the framework to guide initial teacher education, teacher certification, teachers’ on-going professional development and career advancement, and to assess the extent to which these different elements are being effective.”

(P. 131).

“The profile should be evidence-based and built on active involvement by the teaching profession in identifying teacher competencies and standards of performance. A clear, well structured and widely supported teacher profile can be a powerful mechanism for aligning the various elements involved in developing teachers’ knowledge and skills” (P. 132).

“The teacher profile must reflect the broad range of competencies that teachers require to be effective practitioners in modern schools. It should encompass strong subject matter knowledge, pedagogical skills, the capacity to work effectively with a wide range of students and colleagues, contribution to the school and wider profession and the teacher’s capacity to continue developing. The profile could express different levels of performance appropriate to beginning teachers, experienced teachers, and those with higher responsibilities. The profile would emphasise demonstrated attainment of key knowledge, skills and competencies for effective professional practice.” (P. 132).

OECD recognised the value of Teaching Councils in providing “a mechanism for profession – led standards setting” –

Example of planned role and function of Ireland’s Teaching Council.

(P. 216).

EU Barcelona Council (2002), in wake of Lisbon (2000) –

“The European Council sets the objective to make Europe’s educational training system a world quality reference by 2010”

- Workgroup A – “Improving the Education and Training of Teachers and Trainers”

- “Identifying the skills that teachers and trainers need given their changing roles in society”.

- “Teaching competencies and qualification profiles, based on the socially expected role of teachers … to be defined as criteria for the development and external quality assurance of teacher education provision”.

In line with the Bologna process teacher educators are expected to develop descriptions of the learning outcomes of teacher ed. progs., and incorporate ECTS credits –

“This topic challenges teacher education institutions to participate pro-actively in the policy definition of teaching competences and qualification profiles”.

Viewing courses in terms of learning outcomes and competencies

“By learning outcomes we mean the set of competencies including knowledge, understanding and skills a learner is expected to demonstrate after completion of a process of learning.”

Tuning Educational Structures in Europe 2009

- Conceptions arising from behaviourist and positivist thinking narrow, checklist approach

- A more liberal concept which sees the achievement of competence as accompanied in its appropriation and in its exercise by the attitudes, beliefs, and personal culture of the person who acquires and exercises the competency in question.

Ireland favours the liberal, professional model

1999 – Qualifications (Education and Training) Act – “to establish and maintain a framework, being a framework for the development, recognition and award of qualifications in the State (in this Act referred to as a “framework of qualifications”), based on standards of knowledge, skill or competence to be acquired by learners”; - Qualifications Act Section 7 (a)

2001 NQAI – HETAC, FETAC2003 NQF

The NQAI has Quality Assurance responsibilities in relation to all awarding bodies

Significance of Communications Campaign, Consensus Building

Strong commitment by Universities – IUQB (2002); IHEQN (2003); FIN (2007)

Descriptions for all forms of learning – formal, non-formal, informal – recognition of prior learning

Vision for Lifelong Learning

Ireland an influential partner in shaping European Meta-Frameworks

1999 2005, Developing the ‘Bologna Framework’, the EHEA, with the “Dublin Descriptors” (2004)

Nov. 2006 – Ireland the first European Country to verify the compatibility of its NQF with the Bologna Framework

Ireland urged European Framework (EQF) 2004 – completed April 2008

Sept. 2009 Ireland the first country to reference its NQF to the EQF

EQF EHEA Framework NQF NQF Major Award- typesLevels (Bologna) Levels

1 1 Level 1 Certificate

2 Level 2 Certificate

2 3 Level 3 Certificate, Junior Certificate

3 4 Level 4 Certificate, Leaving Certificate

4 5 Level 5 Certificate, Leaving Certificate

5 Short Cycle within 6 Advanced Certificate (FET award);First Cycle Higher Certificate (HET award)

6 First Cycle 7 Ordinary Bachelors Degree

8 Honours Bachelors Degree, Higher Diploma

7 Second Cycle 9 Masters Degree, Post-Graduate Diploma

8 Third Cycle 10 Doctoral Degree, Higher Doctorate

7.2-(2)(d) determine, from time to time, the education and training and qualifications required for a person to be registered(e) establish procedures in relation to the induction of teachers into the teaching profession(g) establish procedures and criteria for probation of teachers including periods of probation(m) review and accredit programmes of teacher education and training for the purpose of registration 38. – (1)(c) Review the standards of knowledge, skill and competence

required for the practice of teaching.

Care in Planning Consultation – Partnership Research – Evidence Based Communication – Reportage Code of Professional Practice – Standards of

Teaching, Knowledge, Skill and Competence Code of Professional Conduct.

2009 – “Draft Strategy for Review and Accreditation”

Structured on Inputs, Processes and Outcomes

Five-Member Review Panels – Range of Expertise and Experience

Detailed Framework for Visitations Reportage Procedure Rich Conception of Knowledge, Skill and

Competence First Four Pilot Accreditation Reviews

conducted 2009/10 (ITE)

Irish tradition, particularly post 1995 International approaches e.g. OECD, EU Role of NQAI – NQF Co-ordination with Bologna, EQF Development of Teaching Council A Culture Shift: Consensus Building; Much

Analysis, Research, Reflection A Work in Progress.