Moving forward: teacher training

In this article I want to explore the future of training for design and technology teachers. Teaching has moved from the non-graduate profession it once was to a position where the government are talking about a desire for teaching to become a masters-level profession (TDA 2010). However the last government followed by the coalition are talking about ending the undergraduate route into teaching. At Nottingham Trent University (NTU) we have a long history of training design and technology teachers by a variety of routes, but what does the future hold? Do you as design and technology teachers know what to expect from the NQT’s currently coming out of our ITT programmes

Increasing the subject knowledge of trainee teachers

A number of potential entrants to teacher training in secondary science are deterred due to lack of breadth and depth in subject knowledge. This article outlines two Teacher Training Agency (TTA) sponsored approaches to enhancing the subject knowledge of trainee teachers during and prior to their formal training period

Requirements for the provision of initial teacher training courses in Wales : literacy and numeracy issues

"The Welsh Government is consulting on proposals to introduce a replacement for the Criteria for Initial Teacher Training Accreditation by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales 2006, as amended. This would introduce revised requirements for the provision of initial teacher training courses in Wales. They would include statutory requirements for the assessment of trainees’ personal literacy and numeracy skills and ensure that the teaching of literacy and numeracy forms an integral part of initial teacher training courses. The proposals include a number of supporting changes and updating amendments. Similar requirements are also proposed for the Employment-based Teacher Training Scheme 2012 when implemented. The introduction of this scheme was consulted on previously between 11 November 2011 and 31 January 2012; the Minister for Education and Skills announced on 19 March 2012 his intention to proceed with a new employment-based teacher training programme which would require the implementation of the 2012 Scheme" - inside front cover

Teachers and teaching in upper secondary education: a comparison of systems in place across secondary and FE sectors

The training of teachers in upper secondary education varies considerably dependent on whether training is undertaken as a secondary school teacher or as a teacher within the Further Education (FE) system. Indeed, until the late 1990s, the training of teachers in FE had been the focus of little regulation by Government. Differences also occur across the UK with different pathways in place in the home countries. Regardless of the pathway taken to teaching in upper secondary education there are concerns that the teaching in schools and FE is still not good enough. The Coalition Government has proposed many reforms to the training of teachers in schools and a consultation exercise has been undertaken on the training of teachers in the FE sector. This article will review current approaches to the training of teachers in the home countries of the UK. Attention will be given to the proposed reforms in order to consider how these might contribute to raising the standard of teacher training and hence the quality of teaching in schools and FE. © 2011 Institute of Education, University of London

Secondary social science teacher training in Papua New Guinea and secondary social studies teacher training in New Zealand : a comparative study : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Education at Massey University

This thesis is presented in a form of a report on a comparative documentary survey of secondary social science teacher training in Papua New Guinea and secondary social studies teacher training in New Zealand. But because of the complexity of the field, the study has encompassed a number of related areas. The thesis is organized into five chapters. Chapter one introduces the nature of study. Chapter two presents the descriptive information on education and the secondary social science teacher training in Papua New Guinea. Chapter three follows a similar pattern to chapter one but focuses on New Zealand and on secondary social studies teacher training at Auckland in particular. Taken together, these chapters investigate such issues as, firstly, who goes to school and for how long. Secondly, they investigate the background information of the staff and students of the teachers college. Thirdly, these chapters examine the college curricula, how and why they are organized in that manner. In general, these two chapters set the scene and provide the background information as the basis for discussion in chapter four. In chapter four there is an analysis and comparison of education and social science teacher training in Papua New Guinea, and education and social studies teacher training in New Zealand. In doing so, the chapter reveals some of the significant weaknesses of secondary social science teacher training in Papua New Guinea. The final chapter is devoted to making general conclusions and some suggestions for further studies for Papua New Guinea on the basis of the weaknesses identified in chapter four

Teacher training incentives in Wales PGCE (FE) 2010/11: Post Graduate Certificate of Education (Further Education) Teacher Training Incentive Grant in Wales 2010/11 - guidance notes

"Guidance for PGCE (FE) initial teacher training providers offering full-time pre-service courses of PGCE (FE) initial teacher training leading to a qualification to teach further education in the academic year 2010/11 (i.e. Cardiff University, Glyndwr University and University of Wales, Newport) in administering, assessing eligibility and the methodology for calculating grant payments." - Overview