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Dr. Robin Simmons discusses three key policy contexts from the 1990s to the 2010s impacting teacher education. Explore the shifts from markets to mediation and back again, evaluating implications and future scenarios. References included.
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Teacher education for lifelong learning Navigating the policy landscape Dr Robin Simmons
From markets to mediation…and back again? • Three ‘policy contexts’ and their implications for teacher education • 1990s – markets • 2000s – mediation • 2010s – and back again?
1990s • In many ways 1990s saw the transformation of post-compulsory education • Shift from LEA control to quasi-markets. A ‘whirlwind of change’ (Beale 2004) • New Labour inherited a ‘profession in crisis’ (Robson 1998). An extensive professional and academic literature on the plight of FE teachers in this period. • 1990s may have been a period of turmoil but teacher education continued to suffer from ‘benign neglect’. • By the end of the decade fewer FE teachers held recognised teaching qualifications than at the beginning (Lucas 2004).
2000s • Growing intervention by the state. Backdrop – New Labour’s twin priorities of economic competitiveness and social inclusion • Change signalled by Fryer Report and Kennedy Report (both 1997); establishment of FENTO (1999); beginnings of ‘re-professionalisation’ (2001); Equipping our teachers for the future (2004) • Key themes for teacher education: compulsion; control; codification…and competition • Positive and negative consequences of change
2010s • Backdrop will be budgetary constraint • The future of many agencies will be under threat – clouds and silver linings.. • The Scottish model as an alternative?
Where now? Alternative futures • The need to create alternative futures: • Curriculum: content and control • Funding: voices of dissent • The 14-19 agenda: challenges and possibilities…
References • Beale, D. (2004) The impoact of restructuring in further education colleges, Employee Relations, 26(5), 465-479 • DfES (2004) Equipping our teacher for the future: reforming initial teacher training for the learning and skills sector (London, DfES) • Fryer, R. (1997) First Report of the National Advisory Group for Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning (Sheffield, National Advisory Group for Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning) • Kennedy, H. (1997) Learning works: widening participation in further education (Coventry, FEFC) • Lucas, N. (2004) ‘The FENTO fandango’: national standards, compulsory teaching qualifications and the growing regulation of FE college teachers, Journal of Further andHigher Education, 28(1), 35-51