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Oxford Brookes University - Case study

Introduction

 

During the academic year 2005/06 a project consortium consisting of a network of initial teacher training (ITT) providers in Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire took part in a pilot project to identify the most effective means of supporting the ITT and continuing professional development (CPD) of teachers in the Learning and Skills sector.

 

Key idea
"We wanted to find out which strategies and mechanisms would offer the most effective means of supporting the initial and continuing professional development of teachers in the Learning and Skills sector. Our investigation focused on the use of individual learning plans (ILPs) and on how these could be carried forward into professional development portfolios (PDPs). As part of this investigation, we also considered the use of information and learning technology (ILT) to support the development of subject-specialist communities of practice."

 

The consortium members are linked in a partnership with Westminster Institute of Education at Oxford Brookes University and comprise:

1. Abingdon and Witney College
2. Adult and Community Learning at Oxfordshire County Council
3. Milton Keynes College
4. Newbury College
5. Westminster Institute of Education at Oxford Brookes University
6. Swindon College
7. The Royal Artillery Centre for Personal Development

 

Despite the geographical spread of the organisations involved, all members of the consortium project team had long-standing, close working relationships with each other, which proved invaluable in managing this collaborative venture.

 

The consortium members piloted a range of different ILP formats with ITT groups following the Level 4 Certificate in Further Education Teaching, the part-time and full-time Post-Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)/Certificate in Education (Post-Compulsory Education), and the Level 4 Certificate in Professional Practice: Literacy and Numeracy. We also developed a virtual learning environment (VLE) platform to support subject-specialist pedagogy and, for one course, to support the use of ILPs.

 

Our aims were to:

• design, implement and evaluate a range of strategies and recording mechanisms for ILPs
• consider how ITT ILPs may be carried forward into CPD
• explore with partner institutions the use of ILT to develop a community of subject-specialist practitioners.

 

Our objectives were to:

• review interview processes and a range of diagnostic assessment tools
• trial and evaluate a range of ILP formats
• review a range of existing ILP processes and documents
• establish and evaluate a WebCT platform as a means of subject-specialist support and development
• review existing Human Resources (HR) practices and identify development issues for departments related to their role in the professional development process under the new framework
• develop a model for recording ILP- and CPD-planning processes with accompanying guidance notes.