M Level primary mathematics CPD: an identity crisis?

Gemma Louise Richardson

Abstract


One key outcome of a recent seminal review of primary mathematics was a renewed emphasis on the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for teachers of primary mathematics (Williams, 2008). The National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) endorses its importance (Hoyles, 2012) and the current Government emphasises the importance of teacher quality (DfE, 2010). However, a prerequisite for the success of the drive to broaden participation in primary mathematics CPD is the willingness and commitment of individual teachers to enrol on relevant programmes.

This study explores barriers and incentives early career primary teachers experience regarding Masters-level primary mathematics CPD relating to their personal and professional identity. Its focus is the teachers analyses of their experiences and data was collected through questionnaires and follow-up, in-depth individual interviews. Findings indicate that teachers academic identities impact on the uptake of Masters-level primary mathematics CPD and that their personal identities as working family members can be influential. Implications for practice in both primary schools and Higher Education Institutions providing initial teacher education are discussed.


Full Text:

PDF

References


ACME (2002) Continuing Professional Development for teachers of mathematics. London: The Royal Society.

Arthur, L., Marland, H., Pill, A. and Rea, T. (2006) Postgraduate Professional Development for teachers: motivational and inhibiting factors affecting the completion of awards, Journal of In-service Education, 32 (2), 201–219.

Ball, S. Ed. (2004) The RoutledgeFalmer Reader in Sociology of Education. London: RoutledgeFalmer.

Bell, J. (2010) Doing Your Research Project. Berkshire: Open University Press.

British Educational Research Association (2011) Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research. London: BERA.

Bryman, A. (2008) Social Research Methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Bubb, S.and Earley, P. (2007) Leading and Managing Continuing Professional Development: developing people, developing schools; 2nd edition. London: Sage.

Burghes, D. (2008) International Comparative Study in Mathematics Teacher Training, Berkshire: CfBT Education Trust.

Cohen, L., Manion, L. and Morrison, K. (2011) Research Methods in Education (7th Edition). Oxon: Routledge.

Cole, M. (Ed) (1999) Professional Issues for Teachers and Student Teachers. London: David Fulton Publishers Ltd.

Crompton, R. (2006) Employment and the family: the reconfiguration of work and family life in contemporary societies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

CUREE and University of Wolverhampton (2011) Postgraduate Professional Development (PPD) Programme Quality Assurance (QA) Strand; Research Project, Coventry, CUREE.

DCSF (2008) Being the best for our children: Releasing talent for teaching and learning. London: DCSF.

Denzin, N. K. and Lincoln Y. S. (2008) The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research. London: Sage Publications Ltd.

DfE (2010) The Importance of Teaching; The Schools’ White Paper. Norwich: TSO.

DfE (2012a) Induction for newly qualified teachers (England) Statutory guidance for appropriate bodies, head teachers, school staff and governing bodies [Online]. Available at: http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/deployingstaff/b0066959/in duction-newly-qualified-teachers/(Accessed 24th June 2013).

DfE (2012b) School Direct [Online]. Available at: http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/teacher-training-options/school-based-training/school-direct (Accessed 24th June 2013).

DfE (2012c) National curriculum in England: mathematics programmes of study

[Online]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-mathematics-programmes-of-study (Accessed 24th October 2013).

DfE (2013) What is an Academy? [Online]. Available at: http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/academies/b00205692/whatisanacademy (Accessed 24th June 2013).

Dean, J. (1991) Professional development in school. Milton Keynes: Open University.

Flick, U. (2004) A Companion to Qualitative Research. London: Sage Publications Limited.

Flick, U. (2011) Introducing Research Methodology; A Beginner’s Guide to Doing a Research Project. London: Sage Publications Limited.

Gage, N. (2007) The paradigm wars and their aftermath A ‘historical’ sketch of research on teaching since 1989 in: Hammersley, M. (Ed.) Educational Research and Evidence-based Practice. London: Sage.

Gallie, D. and Russell, H. (2009) Work-Family Conflict and Working Conditions in Western Europe, Soc Indic Res, Vol. 93, pp. 445–467.

Hancock, R. (2001) Why are class teachers reluctant to become researchers? in Soler, J., Craft, A. and Burgess, H. (Eds.) (2001) Teacher Development; Exploring our own Practice. London: Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd, Ch.9.

Hennick, M., Hutter, I. and Bailey, A. (2011) Qualitative Research Methods. London: Sage Publications Ltd.

Hoveid, H. and Hoveid, M. H. (2008) Teachers’ Identity, Self and the Process of Learning, Studies in Philosophy and Education , 27 (2-3), pp.125-136.

Hoyles, C. (2012) Made to measure: Ofsted’s report on mathematics education 2008-2011 [Online]. Available at: https://www.ncetm.org.uk/news/37929 (Accessed 24th June 2013).

Jackson, A. and Eady, S. (2010) Teaching as a Masters profession; the need for continued debate [Online]. Available at: http://www.beraconference.co.uk/2010/downloads/abstracts/pdf/BERA2010_0145.pdf (Accessed on 24th June 2013).

Kvale and Brinkmann (2009) Learning the Craft of Qualitative Research Interviewing: Second Edition. London: Sage Publications Ltd.

Lawler, S. (2008) Identity. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Leaton Gray, S. (2005) An Enquiry into CPD for Teachers. London: Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

Long, M. (2000) The Psychology of Education. London: RoutledgeFalmer.

Lovett, S. and Cameron, M. (2011) Career pathways: does remaining close to the classroom matter for early career teachers? A study of practice in New Zealand and the USA, Professional Development in Education, 37(2), 213-224.

Mcnamara, O., Jaworski, B., Rowland, T., Hodgen, J. and Prestage, S. (2002), Developing mathematics teaching and teachers. A research monograph. [Online]. Available at: http://maths-ed.org.uk/mathsteachdev/pdf/mathsdev.pdf (Accessed on 24th June 2013).

McNamara, O., Howson, J., Gunter, H., Sprigade, A. and Onat-Stelma, Z. (2008) Women Teachers’ Careers. Birmingham: NASWUT.

Millar Marsh, M. (2002) The social fashioning of teacher identities. New York: Peter Lang.

Mockler, N. (2011) Beyond ‘what works’: understanding teacher identity as a practical and political tool, Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice, 17 (5), pp.517–528.

Oakley, A. (2002) Gender on planet earth. Cambridge: Polity Press.

OECD (2009) The Professional Development of Teachers. [Online]. Available at: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/31/51/43541636.pdf (Accessed 18th May 2013).

Ofsted (2010) Good Professional Development in Schools. [Online]. Available at: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/good-professional-development-schools (Accessed 18th May 2013).

Ofsted (2012) Mathematics: Made to Measure. [Online]. Available at:

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/mathematics-made-measure (Accessed 18th May 2013).

Olson, E T (2010) Personal Identity. [Online]. Available at: http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2010/entries/identity-personal/ (Accessed 18th October 2013).

Pollard, A and James, M (2011) Letter to Michael Gove [Online]. Available at: http://www.bera.ac.uk/system/files/AP%20%2526%20MJ%20Letter%20to%20MG%20101011%20%28redacted%29.pdf (Accessed 18th May 2013).

Rosen, M (2012) This summer's phonics test is not a reading test. [Online]. Available at: http://michaelrosenblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/this-summers-phonics-test-is-not.html (Accessed 18th May 2013).

Sammons, P., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Barreau, S. and Grabbe, Y. (2008) The Influence of School and Teaching Quality on Children’s Progress in Primary School. London: DCSF.

Scott, D. and Morrison, M. (2006) Key Ideas in Educational Research. London: Continuum.

Seaborne, P. L. (2010) A longitudinal review of the postgraduate professional development of teachers. London: TDA.

Soulsby, D. and Swain, D. (2003) Award-bearing INSET Scheme. London: TTA.

Steedman, C. (1986) Landscape for a good woman. London: Virago.

Stronach, I. (2010) Globalizing education, educating the local. How method made us mad. London: Routledge.

TDA (2010) MTL Funding Update [Online]. Available at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110316231736/http://tda.gov.uk/teacher/masters-in-teaching-and-learning/funding-change.aspx (Accessed 15 April 2013).

TDA (2011) Funding Manual – Postgraduate Professional Development, [Online]. Available at: https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/ppd_funding_manual_2011_12.pdf (Accessed 12th May 2013).

The European Higher Education Area (1999) The Bologna Declaration of 19 June 1999; Joint declaration of the European Ministers of Education [Online]. Available at: http://www.ehea.info/Uploads/about/BOLOGNA_DECLARATION1.pdf (Accessed 15 April 2013).

TES (2012) Indifferent and Opposed [Online]. Available at: http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6257840 (Accessed 15 April 2013).

Troman, G. (2008) Primary teacher identity, commitment and career in performative school cultures in British Educational Research Journal, Volume 34, Issue 5, pp. 619-633.

Wellington, J. (2006) Educational Research; Contemporary issues and practical approaches. London: Continuum.

Wiersma, W. and Jurs, S. G. (2009) Research Methods in Education; An Introduction. USA: Pearson.

Williams, P. (2008) Independent Review of Mathematics Teaching in Early Years Settings and Primary Schools. Nottingham: DCSF Publications.

Woods, P. and Jeffrey, B. (2004) The Reconstruction of Primary Teachers’ Identities, Chapter 11 pp.221-239 in Ball, SJ (Ed) (2004) The RoutledgeFalmer Reader in Sociology of Education. Oxon: RoutledgeFarmer.

Wortham, S. (2006) Learning Identity; The joint emergence of social identification and academic learning. New York: Cambridge University Press

Youdell, D. (2011) School Trouble; Identity, Power and Politics in Education. Oxon: Routledge.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.21100/compass.v4i8.61

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c)