Postgraduate Certificate In Education Students Research Articles

“The David and Goliath Routine can Backfire – Tread Carefully”: A Focus-Group Evaluation of the Kia Kaha Anti-Bullying Kit

This article provides an evaluation of Kia Kaha, the New Zealand Police’s anti-bullying initiative. Information was generated by using three international focus-groups: (i) a group of Oxford University PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education) students; (ii) a group of anti-bullying experts from Adelaide, Australia; and (iii) a group of third-year Education students from Victoria University of Wellington. After analysis of the data, several recommendations for possible improvements were made. These included retaining the bicultural theme but changing the programme, and using information from recent international research to develop a range of anti-bullying tools. It was also underlined that the onus for change should not be placed on the shoulders of the victim of bullying.

Developing Education and Business Links

The Economics and Business Studies Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at the University of Warwick has been at the forefront of developing links between initial teacher education and business. The latest stage in this process occurred in January 1996 when 22 PGCE students undertook a three-day residential course established in a partnership between the University of Warwick, Understanding British Industry (UBI) and the UK Post Office. This course was the first of its kind in the UK to be sponsored by an individual company and has been designed to provide a model which can be used in all areas of initial teacher education links between business and initial teacher education. The authors address practical and theoretical issues relating to the development of links between business and initial teacher education. The broader theoretical issues considered include the significance of this type of activity in relation to the changes taking place in initial teacher education in England and Wales, such as the development of competencies, the role of continuing professional development and the appropriateness of the model. The authors also address the practical implications of working with business, and the development of a residential programme in a crowded timetable, and assess some of the curriculum materials produced by students.

The continuing mismatch between students’ undergraduate experiences and the teaching demands of the geography classroom: Experience of pre‐service secondary geography teachers

Reforms to the structure of the education system of England and Wales in recent years, notably the introduction of a National Curriculum following the Education Reform Act of 1988, have tended to reinforce the subject‐based arrangements of the school curriculum. Moves to establish initial teacher training in a competence‐based model have also emphasised the importance of good ‘subject knowledge’ as a requirement of effective teachers. Increasingly influential research in school improvement and effectiveness has also pointed to the significance of sound academic knowledge and goals as a condition for school, and departmental, effectiveness and improvement. It follows, therefore, that the subject knowledge of beginning teachers is of special interest to those involved in the initial training of teachers. This is particularly the case in a system such as exists in the UK where the current mode of training of secondary teachers is via the Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE), a system which assumes competence in ‘subject knowledge’ (to a greater or lesser extent). This paper reports a small‐scale study designed to investigate the nature of this concern from a sample of geography PGCE students (1994–5) at the University of London Institute of Education (ULIE). In addition to elucidating the nature of subject knowledge which PGCE recruits bring to their training, it seeks to identify some of the implications of perceived subject knowledge ‘gaps’ or, in the authors’ terms, defects in students’ own feelings of competence’.

Evaluating Records of Student Experience within Initial Teacher Education

ABSTRACT This paper describes the evaluation of an innovative approach to student self‐evaluation which was piloted with PGCE (postgraduate certificate in education) students at the University of Bath. It gives background information on the context of the development of the Record of Student Experience (ROSE) and describes the various models adopted for student use. The ROSE evaluation process and findings are described and a discussion of the central issues concerning this form of self‐evaluation is provided. This paper describes the stages in the development of the ROSE with one group of students and offers some conclusions about the future use of this approach within initial teacher education.

PGCE students and investigational approaches in secondary maths

Abstract Several researchers have recently drawn attention to aspects of the teacher shortage in maths: both its causes (Smithers and Hill, 1989) and its consequences (Straker, 1987). In particular, there has been considerable concern about the quality and quantity of entrants to Post‐graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) courses (Hayter, 1989). It is within this context that a move has occurred within secondary schools towards a greater use of investigative approaches in mathematics (HMSO, 1987). This paper reports on one aspect of a qualitative study of a university cohort of PGCE mathematics students: their responses to investigational work in their teaching practice schools. These students had a variety of backgrounds. Some were recent graduates in maths or related disciplines, while others had taken their degrees nearly 20 years ago. All had experienced a largely algorithmic approach to maths teaching at school. Several had suffered the fairly typical experience for those who study maths at university of being warmed up at school and then being cooled out at university. The paper briefly discusses the investigational approach. It then describes the school and undergraduate experience of the student group, in order to show that their university careers had resulted in many of them lacking confidence in themselves as ‘mathematicians’ (Bibby, 1985). It is suggested that, when faced with the new uncertainty represented by ‘investigations’, as well as the usual problems of classroom control experienced by PGCE students (Lacey, 1977), they might have been expected to have favoured the algorithmic approach to maths they had experienced, and largely succeeded with, at school. The main body of the paper presents detailed case studies of four students, two of whom were placed in a very pro‐investigational school. The responses of these four to investigational approaches are described as they developed during the year. It is shown how, in some cases, a lack of confidence, either about undertaking less didactic classroom roles or about the mathematical content implicit in many investigations, would seem to account for students’ initial responses, some of which were characterized by high levels of anxiety and confusion. As some students’ confidence grew, and as they perceived the possible motivational advantages of an investigational approach, they began to be more positive about such methods. In other cases there would also seem to have been a value preference at work, and some students remained unhappy about various aspects of investigational work at the end of the course.

Recent development of PGCE primary/middle courses in England and Wales1

The massive expansion of teacher training in the 1960s was followed by drastic contraction in the public sector in the 1970s, with considerable diversification and closure of colleges. Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) courses still recruited well and were valued by institutions, PGCE primary/middle courses continuing to be initiated in both the university and public sectors. The last decade saw public institutions training more PGCE students than the universities, the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA) increasing (if limitedly) its validation of teaching courses, a greatly increased central direction of teacher education, and a continuing scrutiny of teacher education, with considerable organizational, content and methodological changes ensuing. 1This is the second of two articles on the history of PGCE courses for teachers of younger children. The first was published in this journal, 9; 3, pp. 279–90, with the title ‘Origins and expansion of PGCE primary courses in England and Wales ...