Learning Event Part 4Teachers' profession in 2020Dr. Riina VuorikariCSS - European SchoolnetNov 16 2012

Who am I?Riina from Finland

First training: teacher in Finland,studying abroad (exchangeand postgraduate studies)e.g. hypermedia,web, research, Doctoral (‘09)

2000-2011 in European Schoolnet as Senior Research Analyst and ProjectManager

2012 -> part time in-house expert in European Schoolnet- plus other clients

About this presentation1. Setting the context: Why future scenarios?

Scenario building as a methodFocus of the activity: tool for reflection

2. Trends for our scenarios in 2025

Teacher training– Initial Teacher Training– Continuous Professional Development

Teacher networksRole of schools: multi-stakeholder approachData protection, data privacy and trust

The book is out!

Foresight approachfor future studieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foresight_(futures_studies)

Why future scenarios?• Unless we plan strategically for the future of teachereducation, we will be unable to deal with teachers' futureneeds (Newby, 2005 in the Journal of Education forTeaching)

• While 2025 might seem like a long way ahead in thefuture …. children starting schools in 2011, will befinishing their obligatory schooling or entering highereducation in 2020-2025 (Newby, 2005).

• The future landscape is "only one childhood away"(Newby, 2005, p. 254).

Future Scenarios

Future-oriented activity• but, it does not make predictions!• Rather to discuss and elaborate different plausible futures.

Assumes that the future is not pre-determined, but can evolve indifferent directions

Multidisciplinary, values the multiplicity of perspectives andviews held across actors from different fields• Involves different stakeholders

Future Scenarios: tool for reflection

Stories of possible futures,imagining how

the teaching profession could lookafter 2025,

in order to challenge assumptionsand

stimulate thinking aboutthe present

Future Scenarios:main four stages

1. Understanding current situation

2. Exploring what could happen

3. Debating what stakeholders or participants wouldlike to happen

4. Deciding what should happen– (Cagnin & Keenan, 2008)

Questions?Do you have any comments or questions regarding

Why future scenarios?or about scenario building as a method?

1. What do we know about thecurrent situation?

“ more than half of the teachers surveyed

reported having wanted

more professional development

than they had received.”

Teaching and Learning International Survey (Talis)

OECD, 2009

Context 1.

Context 1.

TALIS,OECD,2009

TALIS,OECD,2009

Teachers’ co-operation

The TALIS (OECD, 2009) studied variousforms of teachers working together– Frequency to undertake activities on 6-point

scale ranging from “never” to “weekly”

Possible to group activities:– Exchange and co-ordination for teaching– Professional collaboration

Context 2.

Teachers’ co-operation

EXCHANGE ANDCO-ORDINATION for teaching

Discuss and decide on theselection of instructionalmedia (e.g. textbooks,exercise books).

Exchange teaching materialswith colleagues.

Attend team conferences forthe age group I teach.

PROFESSIONALCOLLABORATION

Observe other teachers’classes and provide feedback.

Teach jointly as a team in thesame class.

Engage in joint activitiesacross different classes andage groups (e.g. projects).

eTwinning projects!

De-privatisation of teaching practice

means teachers observe each other, give feedback, and act as mentor, advisor or specialist

OECD, 2012: Teaching Practices and Pedagogical Innovations

teachers who report being involved in such activities regularly also have higher self-efficacy

Benefits of teachers’co-operation

Co-operation among staff creates opportunities for– social and emotional support,– exchange of ideas and– practical advice.

It can enhance– professionalism,– feelings of self-efficacy and– prevent stress and “burnout”

Different kinds of collaboration may not have the same effects!

Why are teacher networks?

Learning networks, i.e. technology-supportedcommunities– learners share knowledge with one another– jointly develop new knowledge

Can exist on many levels– within a school– across schools at regional, national and

international level

Context 3.

Includes various forms of teachers’co-operation, i.e. teaches working together ingroups or teams to improve educational processesand outcomes (OECD, 2009)

Contribute to the quality of– the teaching profession and– the learning experience of students– by encouraging collaboration and knowledge

exchange at both teacher and student level

Context 3.

Why are teacher networks?

Blended networksMore and more often, networks become blended

=> digital world is mixed with the physical one

eTwinning platform is online...but– training events (e.g. PDW, contact seminars)

are often in a physical environment– Online collaboration in projects has a clear

physical classroom aspect– eTwinning friends are equally found

through online and offline means

Like our lives too!

Context 3.

Spreading a positivevirus called pedagogicalinnovation..

...who will notget the virus?

Who willnot getthe virus?

The ones who are notconnected, e.g. who arenot co-operating withothers.

Social capital: ability of actors to derive benefits from their membership in social networks

Value of networks defined through social capital– the sense of belonging to the community– the provided and received support– the social network structure

Value of informal learning networksfor individuals

Image of Europe emerges from eTwinning!

Multi-stakeholder approach toeducation

Teachers in a key role in transformingeducation, provided that they are wellsupported!What is the role of...?– policy-making;– school culture and innovation history;– school management;– parents– community around

Learning beyond school

Context 4.

Data protection, privacy and trust

Data protection regulates control over howpersonal data as a commodity is exploitedby third parties, e.g. FacebookPrivacy is the right of the individual to beundisturbed and unobservedOne of the main challenge for the future ofeducation;– commercialisation: who provides services?– who can be trusted on the Web?

Context 5.

2. Exploring what could happen.-with experts and teachers in Europe

3. Debating what stakeholders orparticipants would like to happen.

« Teaching profession in 2025 »

Scenarios in 2025Scenario 1: eNet: European Education Network

Scenario 2: MyNetwork

Scenario 3: Intelligent Agents

Scenario 4: Diversified Teaching Careers

Scenario 5: Offline Networking

Scenario 1: eNet: EuropeanEducation Network

Scenario 2: MyNetwork

Socialnetworks

Scenario 3: Intelligent AgentsTechnologyheavy

Scenario 4: Diversified TeachingCareers

Newrolesasateacher

Scenario 5: Offline NetworkingLow-technology

Scenario 5 (in the book): Informallearning camps

Note that Scenario 5 has been changed in the book! It reflects on the aspects of teachers’ informal teacher professional development opportunities!

Check it out too :)

4. Deciding what should happen.

Now over to you!