The appliance of science is turning out great teachers in tech subjects
Andrew Gallacher enthuses about a new university training programme using the latest technologies
racking technology, video analysis and Lego Mindstorms – Edinburgh Napier’s new intake of student teachers now know that their pathway to a career in the classroom will feature both innovative methods and formidable challenges.
Having also got their first 10-week school placement under their belts, the first 46 students on our new Professional Graduate Diploma in Education course had plenty to discuss with the Deputy First Minister when he visited the university to check on their progress.
John Swinney was naturally keen to see first-hand the impact of the investment made by the Scottish Government to launch Edinburgh Napier’s teaching qualification – the first to be run within a school of applied sciences.
We are the only university in the UK to allow science graduates to train as teachers within this type of school, and we were determined to ensure we reflected that by adopting a distinctive approach from day one.
Our first cohort of students, who started in August last year, now follow new secondary teacher education courses in biology, chemistry, maths and physics.
The curriculum, which is fully accredited by the General Teaching Council for Scotland, was developed in consultation with practising STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) teachers and uses the latest teaching tools, including video analysis of body language, verbal communication and practical skills. As we expected, this has proved highly effective in building students’ confidence in their core teaching and classroom management skills.
A video portfolio is used in UK teacher training, but we have taken this a step further with the use of a small tracking sensor linked to an ipad. This innovation has meant that our students can record and then analyse their teaching to a level not currently possible in comparative courses.
Students practise body language, verbal communication and review their practical skills before receiving feedback from fellow students and tutors. This innovation allowed common errors to be identified and resolved before students entered a real classroom for the first time on their autumn placement.
Going forward, as their teaching experience develops, students can store and edit their best moments so as to document their increasing confidence and professional development in all areas of the professional standards required by the General Teaching Council for Scotland. also envisage that as graduates enter their probation year, this video material can be shared with mentors to help set career development plans and agree areas of priority, both in areas of strength and for development.
Another innovation is our use of Lego Mindstorms to provide problem-based learning scenarios; our students gain experience in the use of this proven tool in a school-based project involving interdisciplinary learning.
A key theme, reflected in all the focus groups held with teachers when we were planning the course, was the need to develop practical approaches to many of the issues that are part of everyday teaching; from setting up science apparatus to managing pupil behaviour.
Here again, our curriculum has developed what is current practice elsewhere to ensure that our students will graduate with a deep understanding of how issues like dyslexia, inclusion and mental health impact on life in the classroom.
Following the Deputy First Minister’s visit just before Christmas, Edinburgh Napier received confirmation that it will be awarded funding for an expanded intake of 60 students in August. This will extend student numbers across four current STEM specialisms, where demand across schools in Scotland is highest.
Over the next three years, the university has plans to further expand our General Teaching Council for Scotland-accredited programme through the introduction of additional courses in computing, English and modern languages; and we hope to introduce a new masters programme for teachers.
We were delighted that our first intake last August included both recent graduates and mature students looking to change career. For both groups, our programme has immediately succeeded in one of its key objectives – to exploit the latest technologies to help ensure they will be ready to inspire children to thrive from day one. It is infectious to watch as our students quickly develwe
op their confidence and communication skills, which are then honed through a total of 18 weeks of schoolbased placements.
As our student numbers expand, we are keen to see all programmes reflect our core values of engagement and widening participation. But we will maintain the quality and uniqueness of our approach by ensuring individual subject groups continue to recruit within numbers that will allow tutors to develop interpersonal relationships with all students. We have set the bar high at Edinburgh Napier, but initial feedback from the schools that offer our students placements, and our partners who helped to develop the course curriculum, is that the approach we provide will ensure the distinctive skill set of an Edinburgh Napier graduate teacher is highly prized.
Andrew Gallacher, head of teacher education at Edinburgh Napier University.