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City of Bristol College

Workplace Observation Case Study

 

Background to the project

Our project was carried out by a team of three members of staff from the college's Quality Improvement Unit (QIU). The QIU is responsible for developing and implementing quality assurance measures and for quality improvement throughout the college, including teaching observations in all faculties.

 

The City of Bristol College Business School is responsible for initial teacher training (ITT). The college offers a range of ITT courses that meet the current needs of workforce development in qualifying teachers to the DfES-approved national standards required of the profession and, where appropriate, the literacy, numeracy and ESOL subject specialisms. Courses are for in-service teachers and include City and Guilds 7407 Stages 1 and 2, University of Plymouth PGCE and Certificate in Education (Post Compulsory Education and Training) and Certificates in Education with a specialism in literacy, numeracy and ESOL.

 

The people on these courses are new, or established teachers from this college, and other local FE colleges and schools, as well as a diverse range of teachers and trainers from the wider Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) sector provision in the region, which includes NHS Trusts, HMP Services, private training providers, adult and community learning, work-based learning, the voluntary sector, public services, business and service sectors, independent trainers and HE staff.

 

Key idea
"We wanted to develop a framework for the provision and training of the workplace observer. Our aim was to produce a workplace observer model in order to develop and support the role of workplace observers. We also wanted to develop an ILP format that would include workplace observer contributions."

 

At the City of Bristol College we focused on observations in the workplace for teachers, currently on ITT courses, who teach in the workplace. For the purposes of the project, the workplace is defined as a context other than an FE college. The research in the City of Bristol College has focused on teaching and training that takes place to support the business or service needs of an organisation, rather than the individual's educational goals.

 

Past experience within the college has shown that, while all trainee teachers in a workplace do find a workplace observer, the quality of these observations varies greatly for several reasons. These reasons include the skill, ability, and knowledge of the workplace observer, their commitment to the role, and the time available to them. Given the range of observer profiles, there is a need for better information and guidance of the purposes and processes of ITT observation and to provide training for observers.