Teaching an all-Master’s profession:
Implications of the new TDA’s CPD MTL National Framework for schools
Naace AMAC conference – Hellidon Lakes, UK, 9-10 October, 2009 Dr Steven J Coombs
Head of Department – Continuing Professional Development [email protected]
Main Menu
• Overview of the New National Framework for the Masters in Teaching & Learning (MTL)
• The TDA & DCSF Agenda for MTL Implementation
• Role of Schools within the MTL partnerships
• The MTL 4 Broad Areas of Content
• Role of MTL HEIs in operating partnerships across Government Office Regions of England
• Learning Technologies to support MTL fieldwork
• Specific MTL questions
• References
Overview of the New National Framework for the Masters in Teaching & Learning (MTL)
• The new Masters in Teaching and learning (MTL) is a
governmental attempt to push teaching as a more respected and high-level profession.
• It is initially aimed at targeting teachers in the first five years of their careers but will eventually be open to all teachers.
• MTL will deliver effective, structured professional development in the early stages of a teacher’s career, focused on improving standards.
• MTL providers also have to be high quality Initial Teacher Training (ITT) providers.
• The National Framework core vision of MTL is that teachers will be supported on-the-job in schools to participate in practice- oriented accredited continuous professional development
(CPD).
The TDA & DCSF Agenda for MTL Implementation
• The MTL scheme is DCSF policy and originates from the Children’s Plan (DCSF, 2007).
• the Training and Development Agency (TDA) for schools has been given the lead management and funding role and first published the MTL National Framework (TDA, 2009).
• The initial agenda is to target MTL resources and pilot schemes to all newly qualified teachers (NQTs)
working in National Challenge (NC) schools and schools facing challenging circumstances.
• The timetable sees the first MTL scheme being launched in the NW regional partnership for NC
schools this September 2009, to be followed by other regions in January 2010.
Role of Schools within the MTL partnerships
• Schools are the principal stakeholders in delivering the new MTL.
• The programme design locates the majority of professional learning activity to be embedded in
classroom practice and amongst collaborative activity of colleagues.
• The heart of this in-school support framework will be a tripartite professional learning support system forged between the teacher, their school-based MTL coach and the visiting HEI tutor.
• The National Framework envisages a three-phase programme that acts as a continuum from ITT and takes account of a NQTs route into teaching.
The MTL 4 Broad Areas of Content
• Cycles of on-the-job professional learning activity are to be linked into a curriculum covered by four broad areas of content:
1. Content Area 1: Teaching & Learning linked to personalisation and applied learning. Assessment for Learning.
2. Content Area 2: Curriculum development linked to subject knowledge and national strategies.
3. Content Area 3: Behaviour management and development of children and young people. Additional and special needs, i.e.
supporting vulnerable learners and inclusion.
4. Content Area 4: Leadership and management, including middle leadership subject/curriculum areas. Working with the wider school workforce and support agencies within and outside the school.
Role of MTL HEIs in operating partnerships across Government Office Regions of England
• HEIs across England are expected to work in collaborative partnerships based within the government office regions.
• The TDA vision is that MTL Providers are made up of equal partnerships between regional schools and their local HEIs.
• HEIs are expected to work closely together with a lead HEI that will coordinate the funding and management of the programme including QA systems and research.
• Providers are expected to be outward looking and engage with Local Authorities and wider national expertise.
• Much of the work-based master level accreditation already done in schools through innovative PPD provision will be useful knowledge in helping to both validate and deliver the early MTL curriculum that is intended to be very different to the more academic educational masters’ degrees.
Learning Technologies to support MTL fieldwork
• There is an expectation that HEIs will lead development of new bespoke learning and communications technology.
• Learning technology is needed to support the personalised learning requirements of teachers engaged in on-the-job and individual practitioner research projects.
• An extension of the TDA Teacher Learning Resource Bank (TLRB) to support MTL school-based curriculum development.
• There needs to be an appropriate set of online critical thinking tools in order to both scaffold and record
teachers’ Masters level thinking.
Specific MTL questions
• The paper raises 9 important questions – the key issues are given below.
• Is MTL really a sophisticated form of an early professional development masters degree, whereby ITT + MTL = ITE?
• Will MTL be subject to Ofsted or some other form of HEI Quality Assurance and Enhancement (QAE) self-evaluation?
• What are the ideal qualifications that the MTL-Coach would need to have and would they need to be involved with on-the-job in-school M-Level formative assessment?
• What about teachers working in further education colleges with the same 14- 19 age group on Diplomas?
• Will MTL be able to offer specialist awards or suitable progression
opportunities linked to the range of careers both within and around the educational profession?
• Would other specialist awards continue to be funded by alternative funding streams such as the extant PPD?
References
• DCSF (2007) The Children’s Plan, Online: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/publications/childrensplan/
(accessed 18 August 2008).
• DfES (2003) Green Paper: Every Child Matters, (Norwich, The Stationery Office).
• DfES (2004) Every Child Matters: Change for Children in Schools (Nottingham, DfES Publications) Online http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk (accessed 18 August 2008).
• TDA (2009) The National Framework for Masters in Teaching and Learning, TDA publication online: http://www.tda.gov.uk/upload/resources/pdf/m/mtl_national_framework_and_glossary.pdf (accessed 7 October 2009).
• TDA (2009a) Case Studies – Masters in Teaching and Learning, TDA online:
http://www.tda.gov.uk/teachers/mtl/casestudies/ann_marie.aspx?keywords=MTL+Coach+training (accessed 7 October 2009).
