Guilt at being away from the classroom, a lack of information about course quality and funding shortages are stopping many teachers from updating their subject knowledge and skills in the job, according to a new report.
Guilt at being away from the classroom, a lack of information about course quality and funding shortages are stopping many teachers from updating their subject knowledge and skills in the job, according to a new report.
The study also highlights a worrying shortage of ongoing training in core subjects such as English and maths, and big differences in the continuing professional development (CPD) funding available to teachers in rural and urban areas.
The report, 'An Enquiry into Continuing Professional Development for Teachers', has been produced by Dr Sandra Leaton Gray, a researcher at the University of Cambridge's Centre for Applied Research in Educational Technologies (CARET). It was funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the Villiers Park Educational Trust.
Dr Leaton Gray consulted a wide variety of teachers and headteachers/college principals for the report, asking about their experiences of, and attitudes to, subject-based CPD.
She found that many teachers felt guilty about taking time out of the classroom for subject-based CPD, seeing it as personal career enhancement rather than an important part of their job.
"Teachers know that high-quality, subject-based CPD will benefit them and their students," Dr Leaton Gray explains. "The problem is there's very little information to help them distinguish between high-quality CPD and things that are a waste of time.
"Funding shortages, problems arranging teaching cover and the numerous other demands on staff time make teachers feel guilty about being out of the classroom. There's also a feeling that subject-based CPD benefits their own careers more than their students, when compared with generic CPD.
"That's why the report recommends giving teachers an entitlement to CPD as part of their pay and employment conditions. They shouldn't feel guilty about improving their subject knowledge and teaching skills. It's an important part of the job and should be resourced and valued as such."
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