Becoming a teacher educator in South Africa. To train a small group of master trainers to deliver an Edexcel qualification (level 4) ◦ PTLLS plus assessor.

Learning from the projectBecoming a teacher educator in South

Africa

To train a small group of master trainers to deliver an Edexcel qualification (level 4) ◦ PTLLS plus assessor award

Worked with Pearsons, OLG (private training organisation) Rustenburg College

Context and background

OLG chose the 6 master trainers the College sent three heads of department

to “provide context” 2*2week blocks to deliver and assess the

master trainers – 2 months between them◦ Visit from an EV during the second block

Process

Roll out and sustainability 2 * 1 week blocks to

deliver and assess at Rustenburg college

30 lecturers in range of subjects

Supported by material created from our sessions and in-country sourced documentation by a writer working for Pearsons

Change of role for the team from trainer to coach

9 trainers◦ 3 were engineering heads of department at the

College: Dorothy, Lucky and Zac◦ 2 worked for OLG full-time: Rochelle (project

manager) and Lucas (maths)◦ 4 were independent:

Sipho (HR consultant) Trevor (accountancy) Lance (social science) Benjamin (can’t remember)

Master trainers

Political context Multilingual and tribal The South African vocational education

system Resource issues Transferability of principles and practices

Negotiating the context

Laughter Working together Learning that the challenges and the

rewards were the same Learning about a different system and

seeing more clearly the strengths and weaknesses of our own

joys

Brilliant! This course has taught me to:

◦ Differentiate learners◦ How to make a teaching and learning session

interesting and memorable◦ Place more emphasis on good formative assessment◦ The importance of ice breaking in making the

environment conducive to learning When I return to teaching I want to give the

learners a platform to explore other things than their academic side

Feedback

Sustainability◦ Only 2 trainers stuck with it to the end

Contract by private partner◦ We ‘heard’ about the lack of remuneration◦ Lack of clarity from the start about logistics

But also had we motivated and prepared them well enough for their new role?

Issues

Helen Colley et al, “Learning as Becoming” “Teaching and learning are primarily social

and cultural rather than individual and technical activities” (p472)

VET curricula tend to emphasise “acquisition of skills” and be outcome focussed

Creation of new identity is not considered Other literature – individual is “absorbed”

into culture and practices in the workplace

Becoming a teacher educator

Lave and Wenger – learning as participation –social participation is key and enables newcomers to learn from experienced practitioners

This process enables individuals to “become” a plumber, beauty therapist etc

Vocational Departments in FE colleges have specific cultures and behaviours – do these replicate those in their allied work environments?

Community of Practice

Question asked by research:◦ What makes learners feel they are suitable for

particular jobs? Question for the project

◦ Were teachers/trainers picked who were ‘ready for’ or “suitable for” transition to teacher trainer

What criteria would you use?

Question 1

Question asked by research How does their sense of identity change?

Question for the project Did we promote this change? What signs should we have been looking for? How could we have enabled them to rehearse before

putting into action the

Question 2

Co-construction of teaching and learning◦ create an icebreaker, deliver it, evaluate◦ Present how you will apply….

Similar to VET “vocational learning is actively co-

constructed by teachers and students, determined in part by the dominant structures of thought that prevail in particular employment structures”

What would these be for PCET?

Strategies used

Dorothy, Zak and Lucky (3 Heads of Dept from the College) did not see themselves as teacher trainers initially◦ It became an aspiration for 2 out of 3 of them

All 3 participated in the first week of training but struggled to do the second

One OLG trainer, Lucas, did both weeks but still defined himself as a maths teacher; did not develop at that point the necessary confidence (or skills)

Rochelle had a baby Ben did the first week, but not the second and avoided

marking – he remained elusive therefore Sipho and Lance disappeared but Martin in touch with Lance

on facebook… Trevor has “become” a teacher educator – see feedback

And what about the group?

Always be involved in selection process and be clear about criteria

Ask to see contracts of staff involved if the project required on-going commitment

Work out the logistics from the start Always work in pairs at the start Check feedback if they are assessing Teach to the end goal, not the syllabus

Lessons learned

May God Almighty bless and grow you guys older and more smarter.