Jumping through hoops or crafting a career: will they stay or will they go

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Jumping through hoops or crafting a career
will they stay or will they go? experiences of
teachers in training from FE and the Lifelong
Learning Sector Jo Pye Dr Kim Diment Skills
and Learning Intelligence Module (SLIM)Marchmont
Observatory University of Exeter School of
Education and Lifelong Learning
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SWitch Member sectors

• Adult Community Learning
• Awarding Bodies
• FE Colleges
• Higher Education Institutions
• Voluntary Community Sector
• Work-based Learning
• Network Support Organisations

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SWitch trainee satisfactionsurveys, 2007-2009

• November 2007 First Switch baseline report on
  trainees in South West partner institutions
  2004-2006 - analysed age, gender, course and
  sector data for FE, HE, ACL students
• June 2008 Survey of teacher trainee
  satisfaction first interim report - qualitative
  and quantitative analysis of Year One students in
  FE, HE, ACL, WBL, PV sectors
• November 2008 Qualitative survey of teacher
  trainee satisfaction second interim report - 20
  case study interviews of students across the
  region in Switch partner sectors
• July 2009 Survey of teacher trainee
  satisfaction Year Two - quantitative and
  qualitative update of 2008 findings covering
  students experience and further course
  developments

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First SWitch interim report SW trainees 2007/08

• 81 of respondents were pursuing Cert Ed/PGCE
  courses in HE or FE sectors, with the highest
  number of males in FE. Only 11 of respondents
  were on full time courses
• PTLLS were the next largest (13) course
  represented across most sector. DTLLS were not as
  yet widely available beyond HE and FE
  institutions
• Across all sectors surveyed the age range was
  older than in the baseline report only 16 were
  aged under 30, 52 over 40 and 33 over 50 - the
  largest single group reporting. The majority of
  trainees in the WBL, PV and ACL sectors were
  over 40

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First SWitch interim report quantitative
findings

• 80 of respondents considered support received to
  be at least fairly appropriate. There is no
  consistent recruitment pattern for mentors some
  are line managers, many are colleagues, some were
  arranged by trainees and others by course tutors.
• 82 of respondents felt courses were fairly or
  highly relevant 86 also found them fairly
  or highly challenging. 58 of 46-50 year old
  respondents found courses highly challenging.
• Almost 50 found courses fairly creative, but
  only 16 highly creative.
• Nearly all (89) thought the formal requirements
  of the training to be founded on real world
  practice, with the highest ratings amongst over
  50s. 76 found courses generally manageable.
• Strikingly, many respondents were unclear in
  which sector they were undertaking their training.

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First SWitch interim reportselected qualitative
findings

• Trainees concerns included
• Mid to late career learning, including
  theoretical coursework and academic study skills
• Practicalities of juggling work/life commitments,
  with uncertain practical requirements and time
  availability an additional worry
• Unfamiliar performance and quality standards
• Micro-teaching and peer observation
• Lack of availability of course information to
  clarify expectations
• Concerns re a paper exercise to satisfy
  legislation only
• No real relevance nor acknowledgement of
  experience for older trainees
• Overly theoretical, generalist approaches tuned
  more to HE/FE contexts than more specialist
  voluntary/work based sectors
• Additional time needed for mentoring support,
  reflection and research
• Bedding in time for a newly developed course
  framework

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Second SWitch interim reportqualitative
interviews

• 20 respondents were selected across age, gender,
  location and training course completed to compare
  their biographies and
• Measure changes in their satisfaction levels with
  their course/s between their early and final
  experiences
• Gauge how much of their initial impressions may
  have been due to bedding in of processes and/or
  returning to learning
• Gain further knowledge and understanding of the
  impact of institutional delivery and support
  systems on their satisfaction
• Highlight distinctiveness and sustained good
  practice between and across sectors
• Identified changed perceptions of courses since
  their initial experience in the interim report,
  what they did next, and longer term impact on
  their autonomy and professional identities as
  teachers.

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Qualitative telephone survey questions for
respondents

• How did you manage the work life balance were
  you working / studying full- or part-time?
• When did your course finish and where are you
  working now?
• What was the best part of the course for you? The
  least?
• How has your course experience prepared you for
  practice now? Has it informed or improved your
  teaching practice?
• Has your sense of yourself as a teacher shifted
  by the end of the course?
• What does it mean for you, personally and
  professionally, to be regarded as a qualified
  teacher in the Learning Skills sector?
• Looking back now that the course is complete,
  what changes would you make?

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Course structure and support

• Many candidates agree that assignment
  requirements (for PTLLS L4) are mismatched to
  course, requiring degree level depth but with
  insufficient word count - this may be revised for
  future cohorts
• Work life balance was not as much of a challenge
  as at first anticipated. Micro teaching was also
  better understood once trainees had come to grips
  with it some would have preferred more in
  practice with less theory
• Trainees appreciate employers, tutors and peer
  support. The quality of support peer (informal)
  or tutor (formal) - can make or break the
  training
• Post course support is ad hoc in many cases, and
  there are suggestions that ACL support is
  underdeveloped
• In many cases candidates have continued to train
  as they understand all courses need to be
  completed by 2010. Some training employers have
  insisted on qualifications for continuing
  employment contracts others have been very
  supportive
• Course theory and learning styles were well
  regarded, on the whole. Many reported that they
  had successfully put theory into practice

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Qualification value and progression

• Links between PTLLS and other qualifications (new
  and existing) are unclear - although processes
  have bedded in, their market value has not. Many
  trainees would like to have bypassed CTLLS/DTLLS
  and gone directly into Cert Ed perceived as
  better established
• Course and careers advice for trainees is still
  very patchy, which leads to lack of clarity.
  Programme requirements for IfL accreditation
  remain unclear
• Perceived difference in employment value between
  sectors colours trainee expectations of courses,
  progression and employment. Implicit hierarchy
  leisure courses not as valued as
  qualification courses by employers. ACL
  trainees with hard won expertise can feel
  excluded
• Yet diverse cohorts of trainees support and have
  benefited from professionalising the post
  compulsory sector, improving parity of esteem
• Not all bad news reflecting back, many trainees
  spoke of their engagement with the course, new
  ideas, working with people from different
  disciplines and backgrounds as a positive
  experience.

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Survey of teacher trainee satisfaction Year Two
2008/09

• As with Year One, conducted via paper and online
  survey of trainees in SWitch partner institutions
  across region
• Questionnaire was mainly multiple choice which
  improved quantitative analysis open responses
  for qualitative analysis
• Additional biographical details of trainees
  educational backgrounds, mode of work, study
  sectors, institutional roles
• Covered similar areas to Year One to measure
  individual experiences and direction of travel
  courses undertaken, recruitment and enrolment,
  assessment, induction and support, relevance,
  challenge, manageability and delivery
• Similar sized survey population of 190
  respondents, made up mainly of FE/HE trainees
  with smaller samples ACL, WBL, PV

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Year Two survey learner findings

• Most of trainees surveyed were undertaking PTLLS
  (ACL FE), DTLLS (FE), PGCEs and Cert Eds
  (FE/HE)
• 29 of trainees were male and 70 female
• Age range was younger than in 2008 largest group
  was aged between 36 and 45 (42)
• A well qualified group 31 had
  Foundation/Degrees, 20 teaching qualifications
  (85 gained over last five years), 13 NVQs, 10
  each Diplomas or technical certificates
• Keen learners 14 were taking another
  qualification and 34 another course in previous
  12 months - overall 76 had trained in last five
  years 16 not for more than ten years
• 93 in work, 30 with more than one job, 50/50
  full/part time 50 FE, 20 WBL, 6 HE and ACL,
  7 PV

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Year Two survey early findings

• Reasons for enrolling 60 required by employer,
  53 wanted a better job, 49 wanted to develop
  personally or professionally, 43 for
  professional requirements
• 63 confident at start, 37 glad to study with
  colleagues
• 70 wanted to update their practical teaching
  skills and learn new theories and approaches,
  enhancing their autonomy as practitioners
• 50 of academic lecturers, trainers, study
  support and special needs tutors were looking
  forward to strengthening their professional
  identity
• As with last year, time management was an issue
  for 80 of respondents, closely followed by work
  life balance at 77.

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Year Two survey course experiences

• Recruitment - 82 rated it good or better (20
  top rating)
• Induction - 79 positive paperwork reduced
• Relevance - 82 positive higher with age of
  trainees
• Challenge - 86 found course rather challenging
  but many trainees across sector now critically
  review practice
• Manageability - 83 coped with practical demands,
  balancing work and family
• Models of study support - equal cases of tutors
  and tutor/mentor support, but much reliance on
  peer support
• Trainees ability to choose their own supporters
  - with peer support, feedback, encouragement and
  advice, and new practice - were all positively
  linked to course relevance

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Year Two survey Are practicalrequirements as
expected?
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Qualitative findings What wouldyou change or do
differently?

• For most, with no control over the structure of
  the programmes, their sense of autonomy was
  curtailed
• Many referred to an overly theoretical
  curriculum and would have welcomed the chance to
  put new skills into practice
• Reflecting on trainees experiences, many felt
  they had not known what they were letting
  themselves in for
• A more in depth explanation of each unit
  requirements, in particular specific criteria for
  assignments
• More online learning, or group work for set
  periods, followed by group and individual
  tutorials
• The course should be more practical for
  vocational teachers. We are very skilled, not
  used to writing long boring essays.

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Qualitative findings What areyour future plans?

• Having experienced the course I dont think I
  will continue in education or seek a career as a
  teacher. I think I will seek a career where I
  am valued and enjoy what I am doing
• To become as good a teacher as I can possibly be.
  To become a specialist in an area of my pedagogy
• Promotion out of teaching
• To continue developing personally and get to the
  top of my game in my desired capacity
• Branch out, explore wider opportunities in
  literacy family learning
• To progress to an MA in design research next
  year. Hopefully this will feed into my teaching
  and self employed creative practice 
• Not sure at the moment but I do want to continue
  some form of study as I have enjoyed it immensely
  The tutors were very supportive, knowledgeable
  and professional. It is thanks to their
  dedication that I have achieved this
  qualification.

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Qualitative findings trainees voices

• Re the 5 year MOT I think that teachers are
  always having to prove that they are competent in
  their role. I am hoping that once I have DTLLS I
  will not need to undertake any more compulsory
  courses to prove my worth.
• It has been very stressful, at times it feels as
  though we are just jumping through hoops to
  demonstrate our academic level rather than make
  us better at our craft.
• The course is fantastic, I have learnt a great
  deal from working with other members of the
  group. It is good to meet people from outside of
  your teaching comfort zone.
• Also there was nothing I would like to change
  I have enjoyed the course immensely have a lot
  more confidence as a teacher.

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