A study on Teacher Professional Learning Development led by Professor Helen Timperley of The University of Auckland’s Faculty of Education has been lauded at an international education conference.
Educationalists from all around the world are in Auckland this week for the annual International Congress for School Effectiveness and School Improvement (ICSEI) where the Ministry of Education has launched the latest in its series of Best Evidence Synthesis (BES) research reports.
Dr Linda Kaser, Professor of Education at the University of British Columbia, says the BES programme used by Professor Timperley and her team is "the smartest intellectual property" in the world.
"BES is a very effective tool that gives us a very systematic approach to revealing what works, so that we can show how different policies, contexts, resources, and practices impact on teachers’ learning," says Professor Timperley.
"If you think of building a house, then you can appreciate what BES is trying to achieve. We have a plan, we develop a framework, we add to that framework and the result is a house."
The team "built its house" by firstly identifying some 80-plus characteristics (the framework) of professional teacher learning that were likely to impact student learning. These characteristics were then used to analyse nearly 100 relevant studies from New Zealand and internationally.
The result is that the Ministry of Education now has a framework for teacher learning and development that can serve as a guide for both policy and practice.
The BES also identified gaps that need addressing, particularly around catering for student diversity and areas such as ICT and mentoring.
The team’s work has already received international acclaim from the International Academy of Education which plans to publish the findings worldwide. The American Educational Research Association will feature the research in its 2008 annual review.
The study was commissioned by the Ministry of Education and managed through Auckland UniServices Limited, which is a wholly owned company of The University of Auckland. UniServices manages all the University's commercial research and consultancy partnerships, forms new business ventures based on University research, and owns and develops the University's intellectual property estate.
Professor Helen Timperley
Professor Timperley specialises in policy, organisational and professional learning that promotes improved outcomes for students. She has published more than 40 academic articles internationally and in New Zealand in her specialty areas. She has also written six books for educational professionals on similar topics and led large research contracts with a focus on making a difference for students. She is in demand at international conferences and events to talk about how research can impact on policy and practice.
