The Masters Level Teaching Profession: Enhancing or Managing Professionalism?

Author(s):

Chris Wilkins

Conference:

ECER 2009

Network:

10. Teacher Education Research

Format:

Paper

Session Information

10 SES 11 A, Research on Pedagogical Approaches in Teacher Education

Paper Session

Time:

2009-09-30

16:45-18:15

Room:

NIG, HS D

Chair:

Fiona Hallett

Contribution

The UK government's 2007 decision that teaching should become a Masters level profession in England and Wales, via a ‘Masters for Teaching and Learning’ (MTL), is potentially the most significant policy shift for the profession in decades. Building on the growth in postgraduate teaching qualifications carrying Masters level credits, MTL is initially targeted at early career teachers, with the long-term intention of extending the requirement to all. The initiative was primarily prompted by the finding of an international comparative study of education systems (Barber et al 2007) that a Masters level profession was key to improving educational outcomes. Whilst broadly welcomed by the teacher education community (UCET 2008), the views of the wider profession are less certain. This study explores the perceptions of early career teachers and head teachers of the impact of MTL on learning and teaching, and draws conclusions on the potential implications for teachers' professional identity. A key question to be answered will be whether MTL marks a return to a focus on individual professional formation, or is a strengthening of the policy of ‘managed professionalism’, the ‘command economy’ approach to teacher development (Furlong 2005). This question is central to the theme of ECER 2009; whereas traditionally Masters in Education emphasise the synthesis of intellectual scholarship and professional enquiry, early indications suggest that MTL may focus more narrowly on 'deepening professional knowledge'. Models of identity and modernity (Giddens 1991, Beck 1992), in particular the notion of ‘fractured/contested identity’ (Bauman 2004), have provided a sociological framework for ethnographic studies exploring the professional identity of teachers (Wood & Jeffrey 2002, Troman et al 2007). A dominant theme in recent years has been the reworking of traditional paradigms of professionalism in response to marketisation (Apple 2000) and performativity in school management (Ball 2000, Day et al 2006, Troman et al 2007), leading to an instrumentalist ‘incorporated professionalism’ (Menter et al 2002). Some recent studies have put forward the notion of ‘transformative' professionalism (Whitty 2002, Sachs 2003); Sachs' model of the ‘activist identity’ resisting managerialism has been particularly influential. This study builds on one designed to uncover the extent of this 'activist/transformative professionalism' in an era of career-long ‘policing of professionalism’ (following the introduction in 2007 of Professional Standards for Teachers, a framework for assessing professional attributes, skills, knowledge and understanding at each stage of teachers’ careers).

Method

19 early career teachers were interviewed during 2008 to explore their perceptions of developing professional identity, degree of autonomy, and constraints on autonomy in the context of the introduction of Professional Standards for Teachers. Semi-structured interviews were carried out and data analysed applying network analysis to accounts of teachers’ responses, in particular to accounts of professional interactions and ‘critical incidents’. The MTL initiative was being introduced during the period of this original research, and so whilst not part of the initial research design, the interview framework was modified to explore the teachers' responses to the initiative. To supplement this data, interviews are currently being carried out with headteachers (6 planned) exploring their perceptions of the potential value of MTL, with some of the teachers in the original cohort then revisited to pursue particular responses. This study additionally employs documentary analysis of Professional Standards for Teachers and the MTL National Framework.

Expected Outcomes

Findings pertinent to the original research design were presented at ECER 2008 and are currently under review for publication; this paper reports separately on the findings specifically related to the MTL initiative, and draws upon substantially different literature. Initial findings of teachers indicate significant ambivalence about the value of MTL; welcoming it as raising the status of the profession (and possibly improving their career prospects) but highly sceptical about the capacity of the government, the willingness of school managers to support their study - and about the impact on the quality of their teaching. Findings will be discussed with reference to the key source of the MTL initiative, the McKinsey Report, by considering the implications for teacher professional development in a European context, focusing down on the crucial issues of 'research-informed practice' and 'professional knowledge'.

References

APPLE, M. 2000. Can Critical Pedagogies Interrupt Rightist Policies? Educational Theory, 50(2), pp229-254 AVIS, J., 2005. Beyond Performativity: Reflections on Activist Professionalism and the Labour Process in Further Education. Journal of Education Policy, (2), pp. 209-222. BALL, S., 2000. Performativities and Fabrications in the Education Economy: towards the Performative Society. Australian Educational Researcher, BARBER M & MOURSHED M, 2007 How the World’s Best-Performing School Systems Come Out on Top, McKinsey & Company, BARTON, L., BARRETT, E., WHITTY, G., MILES, S & FURLONG, J. 1994 Teacher Education and Teacher Professionalism in England: some emerging issues British Journal of Sociology of Education, 15(4), pp529-543 BAUMAN, Z. 2004. Identity. Cambridge: Polity. BECK, U. 1992. Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity, London, Sage BOTTERY, M. and WRIGHT, N., 2000. The Life and Work of Teachers: international perspectives in changing times. London: Falmer. BOURDIEU, P. and PASSERON, J., 1977. Reproduction in Education, Society and Culture. SAGE Studies in Social and Educational Change, Volume 5. SAGE Publications, Inc., 275 South Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, California 90212 ($7.95). BREHONY, K. 2005, ‘Primary schooling under New Labour; the irresolvable contradiction between excellence and enjoyment’, Oxford Review of Education, 31(1) 29-46 BRUNDRETT, M, McNAMARA O & WEBB 2008 Primary Teachers: initial teacher education, continuing professional development and school leadership development, Primary Review Research Survey 6/3. CARRINGTON, B., BONNETT, A., NAYAK, A., SKELTON, A., SMITH, F., TOMLIN, R., SHORT, G. and DEMAINE, J., 2000. The Recruitment of New Teachers from Minority Ethnic Groups. International Studies in Sociology of Education, 10(1), pp3-22 DAY, C., KINGTON, A., STOBART, G. & SAMMONS, P. 2006. The personal and professional selves of teachers: stable and unstable identities. British Journal of Educational Research, 32(4), pp601-616 DfEE, 1998. Teaching: High Status, High Standards. 4/98. London: HMSO. ETZIONI, A. 1969 The Semi-Professions and Their Organization: Teachers, Nurses, Social Workers, Free Press, New York FURLONG, J et al, 2000. Teacher Education in Transition: Reforming Professionalism. Maidenhead: Open University Press. GIDDENS, A., 1991. Modernity and self-identity: self and society in the last modern age. Cambridge: Polity. GERWITZ, S & BALL, S. 2000 ‘From ‘welfarism’ to ‘new managerialism’: shifting discourses of school leadership in the education market place’ Discourse, 21(3) 253-267 GOFFMAN, E., 1959. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. New York: Doubleday. GOODSON, I., 2003. Professional Knowledge, Professional Lives: studies in education and changes. Maidenhead: Open University Press. GOODSON, I. & HARGREAVES, I. (Eds), 1996. Teachers' Professional Lives. London: Falmer Press. GRAY, S.L., 2006. What Does It Mean to Be a Teacher? Three Tensions within Contemporary Teacher Professionalism Examined in Terms of Government Policy and the Knowledge Economy. FORUM: for promoting 3-19 comprehensive education, (3), pp. 305-316. GREGSON, M, SPEDDING, T & NIXON L 2008 Most Excellent! - Proving or improving ‘best practice’ in the professional learning and development of teachers? University of Sunderland HARGREAVES, A., 2000. Four ages of professionalism and professional learning. Teachers and Teaching: history and practice, 6(2) pp151-182 HILL, D., 2001. State Theory and the Neo-Liberal Reconstruction of Schooling and Teacher Education: a structuralist neo-Marxist critique of postmodernist, quasi-postmodernist, and culturalist neo-Marxist theory. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 2(1), pp. 135-155. LEATON GRAY, S., 2006. Teachers under Siege. Stoke on Trent: Trentham Books. LORTIE, R. 1975 Schoolteacher Chicago, University of Chicago Press, MAHONY, P. and HESTALL, I., 2000. Reconstructing Teaching: standards, performance and accountability. London, Routledge Falmer. MENTER, I., BRISARD, E. & SMITH, I. 2006. Making Teachers in Britain: Professional knowledge for initial teacher education in England and Scotland. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 38(2), pp. 269-286. OZGA, J. & LAWN, M. 1981 Teachers, Professionalism, and Class: A Study of Organized Teachers Falmer Press, Lewes. PARSONS, T., 1937. Remarks on Education and the Professions. International Journal of Ethics, 47(3), pp. 365-369. REYNOLDS, M. 1999 Standards and Professional Practice: The TTA and Initial Teacher Training. British Journal of Educational Studies, 47 (3), pp247-260. SACHS, J., 2003. The Activist Professional. Buckingham: Open University Press. SCOTT, C., COX, S. & DINHAM, S. 1999 The Occupational Motivation, Satisfaction and Health of English School Teachers, Educational Psychology 19(3), pp287-308 SMITHERS, A. & ROBINSON, P. 2001 Teachers Leaving Report for the National Union of Teachers. STRAUSS, AL. & CORBIN JM. 1998 Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory, London, Sage. TDA 2002 Qualifying to Teach, London: TDA. TDA 2007 Professional Standards for Teachers, London: TDA. TOOLEY, J. (1993) A Market-led Alternative for the Curriculum: breaking the code (London, Institute of Education) TROMAN, G., 1996. The Rise of the New Professionals? The Restructuring of Primary Teachers' Work and Professionalism. British Journal of Sociology of Education, (4), pp. 473-87. TROMAN, G., JEFFREY, B. & RAGGI, A., 2007. Creativity and Performativity Policies in Primary School Cultures. Journal of Education Policy, 22(5), pp. 549-572. UCET 2008 Masters in Teaching and Learning: Making it work, UCET WEBB, R., VULLIAMY, G., HÄKKINEN, K. & HÄMÄLÄINEN, S. 1998 External Inspection or School Self-evaluation? A Comparative Analysis of Policy and Practice in England and Finland…British Educational Research Journal, 24(5) pp539-556 WEBB, R. and VULLIAMY, G., 2006. The Impact of New Labour's Education Policy on Teachers and Teaching at Key Stage 2. FORUM: for promoting 3-19 comprehensive education, (2), pp. 145-158. WHITTY, G., 2002. Making Sense of Education Policy. London: Sage. WINTER, C., 2000. The State Steers by Remote Control: Standardising Teacher Education. International Studies in Sociology of Education, (2), pp 153-175. WOODS, P & JEFFREY, B. 2002. The reconstruction of primary teachers. British Journal of Sociology of Education 23(1) pp89-106

Author Information

Chris Wilkins

University of Leicester

School of Education

Leicester

Search the ECER Programme

Search for keywords and phrases in "Text Search"
Restrict in which part of the abstracts to search in "Where to search"
Search for authors and in the respective field.
For planning your conference attendance you may want to use the conference app, which will be issued some weeks before the conference
If you are a session chair, best look up your chairing duties in the conference system (Conftool) or the app.