Strategic Board for Teacher Education: Meeting 29 Wednesday 15 May 2024: 10.00am – 11.30am

2.0 - Context: Education, Teaching and Teacher Professionalism in Scotland

Teacher professionalism in Scotland is underpinned by a democratic ideology and model of professionalism (Zeichner, 2020), underpinned by a socially progressive stance (Kennedy, 2023) and an understanding that teaching is a deeply complex, intellectual and social endeavour. That is to say that education, and teaching as a profession, is rooted in social justice practices and commitments with collaboration, partnership and agency as central tenets. This principle is embedded in the GTCS Professional Standards (GTCS, 2021), reflected in the broader Scottish education policy landscape and aligns to the rhetoric of Scottish political ideology for a fairer society. This locates the purposes of education as a social practice serving a broader societal good.

Teaching is intellectual work, requiring relational, ethical and political expertise. It is highly complex and context bound and is informed by critical considerations for the purposes of education. Teachers must develop a strong foundational knowledge base, have subject and pedagogical expertise, as well as well-developed skills of criticality to enable them to develop their professional wisdom, and be adaptive, responsive and proactive to meet the needs of the children and young people they work with. As such teacher education, learning and development needs to be designed and resourced appropriately to educate and support the profession in developing this professional expertise; recognising the complex interplay between developing the routine and technical knowledge and strategies, alongside the deeper complex, critical and transformative aspects of professional practice.

Teacher education, learning and development needs to be academically, theoretically and professionally situated, practice-focused and contextual. Research plays a key role and has a symbiotic and interdependent relationship with teaching. Teacher education and development must create spaces and structures to enable and support teachers to engage with, make sense of and contribute to research. Teacher education and development must recognise and meet the needs of individuals who are best placed to determine and direct their own development, alongside the collective needs of children and young people, schools, and the system.

The Framework for Teacher Education and Development takes an asset-based approach that outlines the nature, purpose and processes of teacher education and development in a way that provides coherence, progression and flexibility. It is mapped against career pathways, underpinned by the GTCS Professional Standards (GTCS, 2021) and builds on the principles and features of professional learning identified in the National Model of Professional Learning (Education Scotland, 2018).

Appendix 2 presents the developing plans for the Teacher Education and Development Framework. This framework identifies the principles, expectations and entitlements for the development and education of teachers across the career continuum. It outlines what education, teaching and teacher professionalism means and sets out 4 phases of teacher education and development.

2.1 - Context: How teachers develop professional expertise

To address the model of teacher professionalism and conception of teaching outlined above, the Framework sets out key principles informing teacher education, learning and development in Scotland. It does not seek to prescribe singular approaches to professional learning and development but rather provide core foundational principles which will enable and support learning and development that is meaningful, relevant and worthwhile to progress and enhance teaching and enrich and sustain the teaching profession.

Developing professional expertise:

Critical Engagement – challenging assumptions and existing knowledge, providing room for thoughtful consideration and critique. Examining external factors and delving into the 'why' and 'how', not just the 'what' and 'how' questions. Encouraging active inquiry and exploration.

Situated learning - allowing individuals to make sense of and work through the learning experiences within their specific context, enabling contextualised understanding and application.

Practice focused - emphasising the aspects of practice most pertinent to individuals within their specific context, whether it's related to areas such as Additional Support Needs, literacy, inquiry, leadership, digital proficiency, and more.

Flexible and critically informed – meeting teachers’ needs precisely when they need it. Whether it's a sustained postgraduate certificate programme or shorter formats like seminars, workshops, in-school collaborative groups, Local Authority or national courses and programmes. Offerings must align with teachers’ specific requirements and circumstances providing opportunities for sustained, coherent, progressive learning in key areas. This also needs to be balanced alongside the more technical and operational training which may be required at a point in time and is not progressive learning over time.

Access to Masters level learning – supporting critically-informed practice that is responsive to the evolving needs of Scottish society. Teachers must be able to make informed decisions about if and how they engage in accredited Masters provision alongside other relevant professional learning and development.

Resourcing – ensuring time and space so that the learning and application can take place.