The impact of lecturers’ initial teacher training on continuing professional development needs for teaching and learning in post-compulsory education

Abstract

This paper presents the initial findings of a research project that aims to investigate the impact of teacher training for lecturers in post-compulsory education on engagement with continuing professional development (CPD) for learning and teaching. The majority of colleges and universities operating in the UK now ensure that all teaching staff are given access to training in skills for learning and teaching. This training can take many different forms and this paper explores the potential differences in outcome and influence on engagement with CPD and lifelong learning of graduates from these programmes. For the study, 18 lecturers from different colleges (one large multi-campus college in Scotland and another in Wales) provided narrative accounts about their professional background, training and qualifications prior to initial lecturer training and their route into teaching in further education. Respondents then engaged in semi-structured interviews about their experiences in lecturer training and ongoing engagement with CPD and further learning post-training. The findings indicate that respondents feel insufficient emphasis is placed on vocational skills training, meeting special educational needs and classroom management techniques. Lecturers agree that CPD in learning and teaching is very important but the research data show lack of meaningful engagement with the training options currently available. Recommendations are made to colleges to increase the practical and vocational focus and content of teacher training for lecturers whilst acknowledging the importance of allowing novice practitioner status. The requirement for access to high-quality, valid and targeted CPD is highlighted, with lecturers acknowledging the importance of training and expressing the desire to engage with relevant courses in learning and teaching.