Thesis
The alignment of policy and practice for the career-long professional learning of teachers in Scotland
- Creator
- Rights statement
- Awarding institution
- University of Strathclyde
- Date of award
- 2024
- Thesis identifier
- T16861
- Person Identifier (Local)
- 202080219
- Qualification Level
- Qualification Name
- Department, School or Faculty
- Abstract
- In Scotland, as elsewhere, it is generally recognised that the quality of teaching is arguably the most important factor in children’s learning, and therefore on the overall performance of the education system. The quality of teaching can be improved through good quality teacher professional learning. There is a lack of empirical research on teachers’ lived experiences of professional learning. Using a case-study approach (Yin, 2018), this study gathers evidence from three sources: a systematic analysis of national policy documents relating to teacher professional learning, from physics teachers across the north of Scotland, and from school and system leaders in Scotland. The experiences of teachers are analysed against a theoretical framework based on Kennedy’s models of professional learning (Kennedy, 2014), Timperley’s principles of effective professional learning (Timperley, 2008), and a model of professional learning synthesised from models of professional growth and enquiry-based professional learning (Bryk et al., 2010; Clarke & Hollingsworth, 2002; Cobb et al., 2018; Rowland, 2013). By interviewing teachers and leaders this study aims to achieve a deep and nuanced understanding of professional learning practices and of policy implementation. A pragmatic, interpretive, abductive approach is used to analyse data. A comparison is made to ascertain how well aligned professional learning practice is with the policy as stated in the documents and with the literature on teacher professional learning. The study finds that most of the teacher professional learning is transmissive rather than transformative with little evidence of collaborative enquiry-based approaches or enquiry as stance. There is a general policy misalignment, especially through the meso-level of the Scottish education system which is dominated by cultures of managerial rather than transformative professionalism. This neither serves the macro-level desire for transformative change nor the micro-level and nano-level desire for improved instruction and is unlikely to give improvements in pupil outcomes or system performance.
- Advisor / supervisor
- Salehjee, Saima
- Kennedy, Aileen
- Resource Type
- DOI
Relations
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PDF of thesis T16861 | 2024-03-25 | Public | Download |