Teach Too
ETF's Professional Standards at the heart of Teach Too
“THE BEST DEMANDS DUAL PROFESSIONALS”
During December, our focus is on professionalism. Colin Forrest explores the concept and how it relates to Teach Too.
Not a new idea, but a very good one
The concept of dual professional is not new. Sir Frank McLoughlin’s 2013 CAVTL report focused heavily on the concept of teachers and trainers in the learning and skills sector needing to develop ‘dual professionalism’ to support a ‘line of sight to work’.
As we move into the fifth phase of Teach Too it is clear that the Dual Professionalism concept still holds true. Yet, as Teach Too activity extends further into local contexts, it feels too narrow a description for the wide range of skills and attributes that both provider and employer staff will be expected to develop and demonstrate.
The three dimensions of dual professionalism
The AoC’s Dual Professionalism Toolkit explores the nature of Dual Professionalism in some depth through a balanced discussion of the factors affecting the wider context of the technical reforms. In doing so, the toolkit flips the concept in also speaking to employers about developing skills that support learners in developing their skills in workplace learning.
This narrative directly supports the apprenticeship reforms in the context of the technical pathways.
The toolkit hints at broader dimensions to professionalism too and other attributes that the technical reforms may foster in particular include skills for collaboration including multiagency working and an understanding of business development priorities. The developing significance of the local context suggest that understanding the role that individual providers play in meeting the needs of local areas and their communities will also be an increasingly important part of defining multiple dimensions to professionalism.
Professional Standards
The majority of the Teach Too projects draw on the ETF’s standards for Teachers and Trainers which continue to complement the updated framework. The element of the standards include the need to maintain updated vocational knowledge, supporting progression, and collaboration. From an industry perspective, the importance of sector specific standards also emerged. These may also be informed by the need to develop particular technical expertise in health and safety or safeguarding. The ETF is positioning Advanced Teacher Status as ‘the badge of professionalism and mastery’ in further education and training. Selected professional standards are explored in depth to attain the status, which increases the potential for a deeper understanding of those relevant to technical teaching.
Mastery and licences to practise
The concept of ‘mastery’ emerged from several Teach Too projects through the use of examples such as ‘masterclasses’ like in the case of KM Training Ltd and ‘master technicians’ . Such activities centred specifically on both the complexity of technical learning and also how it is applied in workplace settings. The coupling of aspiration to excellence is key to the mastery concept. Several of the Teach Too phase three participants were also advocating skills competitions as methods of developing an up-to-date understanding of excellence in the workplace.
Mastery is not just the domain of employers and teachers. Looking outside of the Teach Too activity several of the OTLA Technical Skills projects reported that students were supporting teachers in upskilling. This was particularly the case when students and teachers were improving their digital literacy together. Students were often reported to be higher skilled in this area and were able to pass on this expertise to teachers.
The notions of licence to practise and professional standards in many of the occupations relevant to the technical routes are important in positioning mastery within the framework. Mastery may be particularly relevant where professional formation is incorporated in apprenticeship standards.