APPENDIX 54
Memorandum from the Teacher Training Agency
(TTA)
Question 1: What approach to ESD does the TTA
advocate to teachers?
TTA has responsibility for teacher trainers,
trainee teachers and teachers in their induction year. The DFES
has responsibility for CPD and teachers and schools generally.
Teacher trainers, trainee teachers and teachers
in their induction year have as part of their work to understand
and apply the curriculum requirements as set out by the Qualifications
and Curriculum Authority (QCA). Therefore the national requirement
for teachers to incorporate ESD in the various national curriculum
subjects also applies directly to the work of these groups. Trainees
in their work in schools and newly qualified teachers will be
expected to work within their school's schemes of work and the
school's curriculum guidelines which should incorporate ESD as
required tithing the national curriculum requirements.
Question 2: how is the TTA addressing teachers'
needs in terms of education for sustainable development?
For teacher trainers and trainees, the TTA has
taken action to identify effective practices in Initial Teacher
Training in ESD across subject areas and has plans in hand to
disseminate appropriate practice in ESD in subject areas to those
training teachers. ESD is incorporated as an element in subject
specific induction packs produced for new teacher trainers and
the fact to face induction programmes provided in each subject
area.
To support the development of knowledge about
ESD in different subject areas, the TTA has commissioned a briefing
paper from john Huckle, an expert in the field. This briefing
paper is being refined through a peer review process. Appendix
1 lists the meetings held and planned and those invited to attend.
Appendix 2 has the executive summary of the revised briefing paper
prepared by John Huckle. This paper is being presented to an expert
review group in late June.
One meeting with experts has already been held
where contributions to extend the paper were made. The paper has
been revised and is being presented again to the expert group
at the end of June. This material will then form a day-long seminar
with those who are developing the ITT trainer subject packs an
induction programmes for new ITT staff.
The briefing paper outlines the scope for ESD
within initial teacher education, ie what it is that trainers
and trainees in the various subject areas need to know and be
able to do in each of the subject areas covered by the induction
programme. The paper provides a starting point for the subject
specific work.
It was commissioned to:
— identify from the national priorities
in sustainable development what is relevant to ITT trainers and
trainees, ie what it is that government organisations expect citizens
in England to understand and do to ensure our lifestyles are sustainable;
— provide an overview of the development
of ESD in the UK, including the priorities of non-government organisations
with specific interests in sustainable development;
— survey current theory and practice
within both schools, CPD and initial teacher education;
— draw on international comparisons
as appropriate;
— linking with national policy, suggest
a base of professional values and practice, knowledge and understanding,
and teaching skills in ESD related to the TTA standards framework;
and
— outline possible sources of funding
for a TTA co-ordinated professional resource network and related
curriculum development
Question 2a: how far does ITT incorporate education
for sustainable development:
TEACHER TRAINERS
The briefing paper on ESD and Initial Teacher
Training focuses particularly on briefing teacher trainers on
policies, ESD issues and materials to support their work. this
will provide a foundation for ITT work in this area. As mentioned
above, the paper is to be used to support subject specific writing
teams to develop strand of ESD in subject specific induction packs
and programmes for new teacher trainers. The briefing paper also
highlights key contributions of school subjects to ESD and links
the knowledge and understanding components of ESD to existing
subjects. All major curriculum areas are covered.
TRAINEES
Several Standards relevant to ESD are included
in the Qualifying to Teach (QTT) Standards and Requirements for
Initial Teacher Training. For example:
2.2 They [trainee teachers] know and understand
the Values, Aims and Purposes and the General Teaching Requirements
set out in the National Curriculum Handbook. As relevant to the
age range they are trained to teach, they are familiar with the
programme of Study for Citizenship and the National Curriculum
Framework for Personal, Social and health Education (note: for
Key State 1 and/or 2 the National Curriculum Framework for Personal,
Social, and health Education includes Citizenship).
2.3 They [trainee teachers] are aware of
expectations, typical curricula and teaching arrangements in the
Key Stages or phases before and after the ones they teach.
P.8 Qualifying to Teach, TTA, 2002
This complements the QCA requirements of which
all teacher trainers, trainees and NQTs should be fully aware.
Question 2b: To what extent does ESD feature in
Continuing Professional Development for teachers?
INDUCTION YEAR
TEACHERS
The induction year extends and deepens knowledge
by building on the QTT Standards.
In order to complete the induction period satisfactorily,
an NQT [newly qualified teacher] must:
(a) meet all the Induction Standards and
(b) continue to meet the Standards for the
Award of QTS, consistently and with increasing professional competence...
...specifically they: seek and use opportunities
to work collaboratively with colleagues to raise standards by
sharing effective practice in the school.
...show a commitment to their professional development
by:
— identifying areas which they need
to improve their professional knowledge, understanding and practice
in order to teach more effectively in their current post...
p16-17 Into Induction 2003, TTA
NQTs are expected to work effectively as part
of a team in planning the teaching and learning programmes within
the school
Question 2c: Has the TTA implemented any of the
recommendations made by the Government Panel for Sustainable Development
which were directed at the Agency. (See fifth and final annual
report of the Panel, March 2003, p 42)
The recommendations relating to our work were,
in summary, that:
— ESD should be incorporated into ITT;
— the TTA should include ESD within
the standards for QTS and in the guidance.
The QTT Handbook of Guidance refers to subject
related requirements of which ESD is a part and requires trainees
to fulfil their obligations under the national curriculum requirements.
As the training of teachers follows the QCA requirements the furthering
of the ESD curriculum is covered through the current QTT Standards
and Requirements. These are sufficiently robust so that any further
Government initiatives in ESD are likely to be able to be incorporated
without requiring a change in the standards.
As stated, we are working to provide opportunities
to further the ESD knowledge and practice of trainers in a range
of subject disciplines.
Question 3: Does the TTA have any mechanisms for
sharing examples of good practice relating to ESD amongst teachers?
As outlined above, the Teacher Training Agency
does not have responsibility for teachers in schools. The subject
specific induction pack and programme will be a prime mechanism
for sharing good practice relating to ESD with initial teacher
trainers.
Within the Teacher Training Agency, the ITT
Support Group has a remit to support providers of initial teacher
training. Mechanisms are in place to disseminate effective practices
and further strategies, including greater use of the web, are
being developed.
Question 4: Is there a forum where TTA can discuss
strategic issues uch as the approach to ESD with other educational
bodies such as the Qualifications nd Curriculum Authority (QCA),
Ofsted, DfES and Learning Skills Councils? If not, is there a
need for one?
There is no existing forum for the discussion
of ESD issues between TTA, DFES, QCA and the learning and Skills
Council. We do however meet and keep in contact with DfES colleagues
in the Curriculum Division who have responsibility for ESD. We
consult with them and inform them of our activities. The Division
made reference to our work in the ITT trainer induction packs
and programmes in their General Memorandum to the Environmental
Audit Committee Inquiry into ESD, Section 28.
Question 5: Will the TTA be contributing to DfES'
consultation on a draft national strategy for ESD?
We are in contact with colleagues at the DfES
who have responsibility for this area and are happy to engage
fully in any consultation.
Annex 1
Education for Sustainable Development
TTA Briefing Paper, John Huckle
DISCUSSION OF
FIRST DRAFT,
11 MARCH 2003
The following were invited to attend a meeting
to discuss the first draft of the paper. Their comments were fed
into the second draft of the briefing paper.
Doug Bourne, Director DEA
Libby Grundy, Director CEE
John Westaway, Subject Officer Geography, QCA
Leszek Iwaskow, Inspector Geography and ESD,
OFSTED
Maggie Smith, Education Studies, Open University
Margot Brown, Centre for Global Education, York
DISCUSSION OF
SECOND DRAFT,
26 JUNE 2003
The following have been invited to discuss the
second draft of the paper:
Derek Bell, Association for Science Education
Lat Blaylock, Professional Committee for Religious
Education
Peter Bloomfield, University of Hertfordshire
Doug Bourne, DEA
Margot Brown, Global Teacher Project
Craig Johnson, ESD officer of the Regional Assembly
for Yorkshire and Humberside
Graham Corney, Oxford University
Leszek Iwaskow, OFSTED
Nick Jones, CEE
David Lambert, Geographical Association
Diane Mankelow, DfES
Mark Rickinson, NFER
Don Rowe, Citizenship Institute
Bill Scott, Bath University
Tony Shallcross, Manchester Metropolitan University
Stephen Sterling, ESD Consultant
Maggie Smith, NAEE/GA
John Westaway, QCA
Ros Wade, South Bank University
Nancy Wall, Economics and Business Education
Association
SUBJECT INDUCTION
PACK AND
PROGRAMME MEETING,
17 SEPTEMBER
The final draft of the report will be presented
to those developing subject specific induction packs and programme.
Invited attendees currently include:
Carrie Cable, NALDIC
Hugh South, NALDIC
Nicola Davies, NALDIC
Kieth Ross, ATSE
Hugh Smith, St. Martins College
Trevor Millim, NATE
Raywen Ford, NSEAD
David Jones, NSEAD
Richard Gill, Geographical Association
Teresa Lenton, Geographical Association
Viv Ellis, NATE
Pat Perks, Mathematical Association
James Arthur, CITIZED Project
Jenny Jupe, DATA
Nancy Wall, EBEA
Peter Davis, Business Economics
Susan Capel, PEAUK
Bernadette Holmes, CILT
Andre Mostert, new Media
Annex 2
EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: A
BRIEFING PAPER FOR THE TEACHER TRAINING AGENCY, prepared by JOHN
HUCKLE
DRAFT VERSION 23.05.03—NOT YET FINALISED
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
After sketching the emergency of education for
sustainable development (ESD), this paper outlines the contested
nature of sustainable development and reviews it ethics, substance,
process and tools. It argues that since sustainable development
is a political process, with different parties seeking to realise
sustainability in different ways, ESD is ultimately a form of
citizenship education. Students should critically evaluate different
discourses of sustainable development and consider what models
of democracy and citizenship offer the best prospects of sustainability
(pages 5-12).
Before they can engage in such analysis, students
require foundation knowledge from the natural social sciences,
the arts and humanities. Philosophical considerations are key
to the design of the ESD curriculum for it should rest on foundations
that allow the integration of academic and popular knowledge.
The development of social theory, post-modern and citizens' science,
and the reflexive individual are relevant here. So is the assertion
that the school curriculum remains a modern curriculum in a post-modern
world (pages 12-15).
Further consideration of the discourses shaping
ESD has considerable potential to improve the quality of teaching
and learning. By building on existing good practice with late
modern and post-modern forms of pedagogy, ESD can focus on the
interests and concerns of the young and make a particular contribution
to the education of border youth (pages 18-20).
In reviewing ESD developments in England, in
the government, business, NGO, and university sectors, a mismatch
is revealed between the aims of the national curriculum and the
content of the subject orders or programmes of study. The statement
of values that underpins the national curriculum may not sufficiently
guide the selection and delivery of content and as a cross-curricular
theme ESD remains of marginal interest to most teachers and schools.
That it is not directly inspected in either schools or ITE institutions
further contributes to its marginal status. The QCA, the Learning
and Skills Development Agency, some businesses many NGOs, and
some subject associations have done much to promote ESD with guidance
and curriculum materials. Rather like elements of the Government's
strategy for sustainable development, these initiatives have not
yet entered the mainstream (pages 21-30).
Universities in the UK and overseas have developed
research and teaching in ESD. There are models of good practice
here and in other English speaking countries that should inform
the further development of ESD within ITE (pages 30-32).
Current standards for QTS can be interpreted
in ways that encourage the embedding of ESD in ITE (Appendix 9,
page 56).
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