Who are our teachers?

by Kristen Weatherby

Senior Analyst, Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS)

As we celebrate this year’s UNESCO World Teachers Day, many of us think back to our favourite teacher. Mine was Mr. Monroe, the high school English teacher who instilled in me a love for writing that still exists today.  We all have favourite teachers, those inspirational leaders whom we hope our children or loved ones will encounter at some point during their schooling. But what makes a good teacher? And what do we know about the teachers in our schools today?

When the results of the OECD’s Teaching and Learning International Survey were first released in 2009, we were able to start answering some of these questions. TALIS 2008 was the first and largest international survey of teachers, giving teachers and school leaders in 24 countries a voice to speak about their experiences. Teachers told us about their initial teacher training and the professional development they receive; the feedback they get on their teaching; the climate in their classrooms and schools; their own satisfaction with their jobs; and their feelings about their abilities as teachers.

In the past four years, TALIS findings and cross-country comparisons have informed policy recommendations, been at the heart of ministerial-level discussions at the International Summits on the Teaching Profession, and driven discussions about the future of teaching as a profession. As more countries are now talking about improving teacher quality, TALIS data is more relevant than ever.

The OECD just finished data collection for the current cycle of TALIS, which has expanded to include 33 countries. As with TALIS 2008, all countries surveyed lower-secondary teachers, but several countries also chose to study their primary and upper-secondary school teachers as well. We have a team of analysts and experts looking at the data now, and will reveal the results of TALIS 2013 in June of 2014.

We’re looking forward to getting an updated picture on the state of teaching in our schools, as well as some new information. Watch this space over the coming months to learn more about how you can access the new data.

Until then, take a look at our newly-updated TALIS website, where you can easily find all of our publications, policy briefs, TALIS 2008 data, and the questionnaires we use in the survey.  And take some time to say thank you to your favourite teacher today. Thank you, Mr. Monroe!

Links
OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey 
World Teachers' Day 2013 celebrations at UNESCO 
Teachers for the 21st Century: Using Evaluation to Improve Teaching
Synergies for Better Learning: An International Perspective on Evaluation and Assessment
Follow TALIS and Kristen Weatherby @Kristen_Talis
Photo credit: Question mark symbol in chalk over complex calculation /@ Shutterstock

Learning to Teach: Teaching to Learn

by Kristen Weatherby
Senior Analyst, Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS)

If you are a teacher, chances are the scene in this photo looks very familiar to you. You’ve probably spent quite a few hours in a room similar to this as part of a professional development conference, course or seminar. You’ve listened to the speakers, possibly done some group work with other teachers in the room and then returned to your school. Perhaps you’ve come away inspired and have been able to apply some of what you’ve learned in your teaching. Or maybe you have found it difficult to transfer the content from the course back to the unique context of your school and classroom.

One thing we have learned from surveying teachers around the world as part of our Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) is that teachers everywhere want more professional development. On average across countries, 55% of teachers are telling us this. In some countries, continued professional development is an integral part of teachers’ yearly objective-setting and evaluation process. Yet in others the opportunities for teachers to take advantage of professional development may be dwindling – particularly in these difficult economic times. In 2008, teachers told us that the main barriers preventing them from participating in more professional development activities were a conflict with their work schedule (47%) and a lack of available and suitable programmes available (42%). In today’s difficult economic times, schools facing budget cuts might also be less willing to let teachers leave for development opportunities, as these entail considerable cost, not only in fees, travel expenses, and any teacher stipend that might be provided, but also in finding a substitute teacher to cover the classes. What can be done to help give teachers the support they need?

The latest Teaching in Focus brief, “Fostering Learning Communities among Teachers”, discusses how teachers can create and participate in co-operative professional development activities. These are different from the traditional conferences, workshops or seminars that might be held in a hotel ballroom. They includes activities that can often be achieved within the teacher’s own school, such as participating in a teacher network, mentoring, coaching and observing other teachers. On average, only about a third of teachers who reported receiving professional development described it as co-operative professional development.

TALIS asked teachers to report whether they participated in certain activities at school that could indicate the presence of professional learning communities in their schools. A professional learning community can be defined as a school-wide community “aim[ed] at continuous improvement of teaching practices by involving staff in in-depth, systematic, collaborative activities of professional development at the school level.” (Hord, 1997) TALIS found that in many countries, basic forms of co-operation among teachers are common, but collaborating on the core of their professional activities – as professional learning communities require – is much less common.

A professional learning community within school can offer support for teachers where and when they need it.  However, according to TALIS data, such communities are few and far between. Giving teachers access to more professional development opportunities within their own schools might benefit individual teachers while providing the first step toward a professional learning community for the school as a whole.

Links:
To learn more about this topic, check out this month’s Teaching in Focus brief. Look for further Teaching in Focus briefs on topics relevant to the experience of teachers in the coming months.
Follow TALIS and Kristen Weatherby @Kristen_Talis
Photo credit: Interior of a Congress Palace, conference hall / Shutterstock