Teacher Education in Ireland: The induction and continuing professional development of primary teachers

Abstract

SUMMARY This paper presents an overview of initial teacher education in the Irish Republic and examines current developments in education with reference to the professional development of teachers. An analytical case study of the professional development of a year group of BEd graduates from one Irish college of education during the first 10 years of their careers as primary teachers is presented. This study focuses on these beginning teachers' experience of the induction process and their career profile in terms of progress and retention within the profession during the first 10 years of their teaching careers. The involvement of the group in further professional and postgraduate studies is also examined and an analysis of salient relationships and patterns of association between the characteristics and earlier experiences of the cohort and their current situations is presented. The paper concludes with a discussion of the findings.