International Institute for Educational Planning Institut international de planification de l’éducation Developing teachers’ knowledge and skills: Policy trends in OECD countries Yael Duthilleul September Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia “Growth Strategies for Secondary Education in Asia”

Teachers are high on the international policy agenda Teachers are the most important resource in schools and improving teacher quality is the policy most likely to improve student performance. At the same time, there are concerns that teaching may have lost its attractiveness. Many countries are experiencing shortages of well qualified applicants and ageing of the teaching force exacerbates the problem. It is also acknowledged that teachers’ roles and the expectations placed on them have changed, and their current knowledge and skills may not match new demands.

Some recent international reports on teachers OECD Activity on Attracting, Developing and Retaining Effective Teachers 25 countries participated. Focused on: (i) attracting teachers; (ii) developing their knowledge and skills; (iii) recruiting and selection procedures; (iv) retaining effective teachers. “Trends in Secondary Education in Industrialized countries; Are they relevant for African countries”, by O. Briseid and F. Caillods (2004). Paris: IIEP. Eurydice reports on the teaching profession that focused on general lower secondary education.

Teachers’ roles are changing To initiate and manage the learning process To effectively address students’ individual learning needs To be assessment literate To work effectively in diverse and multicultural environments To integrate students with special needs To work and plan in teams To integrate ICT into teaching To work effectively with parents To develop school projects, network, etc.

Policy trends to develop teachers’ knowledge and skills in OECD countries Developing teacher profiles Viewing teacher education and development as a continuum Rethinking teachers’ initial education Strengthening induction programmes Integrating professional development throughout the career Ensuring quality and promoting flexibility

Developing teacher profiles Consistent with a trend of moving away from a focus on input to an outcome-oriented system. Need to reflect what a teacher should know and be able to do at different stages of the career. Should reflect a broad range of competencies, be evidence-based and grounded in student learning objectives. Should provide a framework to guide and integrate teachers’ initial education, certification, induction and ongoing professional development. Should be developed with active involvement from the teaching profession. Examples: QTS in England; Victoria, Australia; US.

Viewing teacher education and development as a continuum Essential to adapt to a changing society Lifelong learning framework Very challenging to implement given the different organizational structures in the provision of education and support at different stages of a teacher’s career Usefulness of teacher profiles to guide the development of a framework that links teachers’ initial education, induction and development E.g. in Northern Ireland the three-phase model; initial education (career entry profile), induction year to support practice and 2 nd and 3 rd years of teaching focus on development of the necessary competencies; teacher portfolios to follow up

Rethinking teachers’ initial education Need to improve selection into teachers’ initial education: career counselling, early class experience, comprehensive assessment, scholarships for the most talented Need to provide more flexible forms of initial education: side entrants; mid-career changers, returning professionals; e.g. the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden Need to change the emphasis of initial education, not necessarily making it longer, but different: it is the first building block in the career, reflective practitioner, researcher and capable to work in diverse environments (e.g. Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway) some countries (e.g. Sweden) opt for a core programme to be shared by all teachers Improving the practical field experience: better partnerships, training for mentors, provide for a broad range of school experiences not just classroom teaching, start early on

Strengthening induction programmes Recognising that the first years of experience require special attention and support if new teachers are to become effective. Many countries require an induction phase that is linked to certification or a permanent position, but it is not always used effectively. Need to differentiate induction from probationary period; Need to formalise the induction phase, train mentors, provide resources, link successful completion to certification; Different models are being developed: reduced teaching load and mentoring in first years (e.g. France, Israel, Scotland); additional training and support (e.g. Korea); portfolio development.

Integrating professional development throughout the career Need to find the necessary incentives to have all teachers participate in professional development opportunities throughout their careers, and not just a few. Need for coherence between teachers’ individual development needs and school development priorities. Effectiveness of ongoing opportunities for reflection, practice and feedback among peers; development of learning communities. Need for coherent framework to evaluate professional development throughout the career; value of teacher profiles; portfolio development; broadening type of professional development activities: peer review, school visits, action research, networks.

Ensuring quality and promoting flexibility Accreditation of programmes; outcome-based focus Certification of teachers; periodic recertification Evaluation of programmes and information dissemination to schools and teachers

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