In 2012, Education Secretary Michael Gove announced that Initial Teacher Training (ITT) would henceforth be school-led. At the time of his announcement, ITT had been school-based, which itself followed upon an earlier, school-centred framework. The implementation of Gove's announcement fundamentally involved a shift that placed mentors, who are drawn from a pool of practising teachers, at the heart of the process of training future primary school teachers. While such changes in education may or may not be warranted, education professionals face upheaval during such periods of transition. The shift to school-led ITT takes place alongside another significant change, where the method of assessment that is used to evaluate pupils' learning is undergoing radical revision. This project takes place during this period of extensive adjustment. While it does not question mentors' efficacy in the previous, school-based framework, it argues that mentors are not currently equipped to handle the onus of responsibility placed upon them in the new, school-led framework. Examining these issues from within the workplace, it adopts an Action Research approach that draws upon existing and emerging literature as well as upon the experiences and perspectives of diverse education professionals involved in ITT. It ends with a series of findings, its key recommendation being that while training programmes for potential primary school teachers are being redesigned within the new ITT framework, mentors themselves need a structured training programme to prepare them to carry out effectively their reconceptualised role. This study provides a glimpse into my workplace, the Forest Independent Primary Collegiate (FIPC), which serves as a case study of a changing ITT environment, at a time when the landscape of education is changing to become more collaborative, with alliances being formed among myriad institutions involved in ITT. As an ITT provider myself, I believe that this study presents a singular viewpoint on a topical issue of great importance in the field of primary education.

La formation des enseignants est toujours un sujet d'actualité du fait que les besoins des élèves comme des enseignants ne cessent d'évoluer. De plus, les erreurs des élèves notamment en mathématiques se multiplient au fil de temps et le traitement de ces erreurs nécessite une bonne formation. La thèse a pour objectif de savoir comment forme-t-on ou mieux former le futur enseignant de mathématiques à traiter les erreurs des élèves et par la suite étudier les effets d'une formation sur les pratiques des stagiaires. En effet, nous nous intéressons à différents éléments primordiaux dans la formation : les connaissances de base ou savoirs de formation transmis aux formés, les stratégies ou situations mises en œuvre, etc. Pour étudier ces éléments, nous avons établi différentes grilles d'analyse en vue de les mettre en œuvre auprès des formateurs, des formés et des stagiaires en classe. Ces outils d'analyse nous ont permis de conclure que les effets de formations observées sur les pratiques de stagiaires sur la question de l'erreur ne sont pas significatifs. / Teachers training is still a crucial and persistent topic since the needs of students and teachers are constantly growing day by day. ln addition, students' errors especially in mathematics increase over time and dealing with these errors requires acquiring efficient competence through teacher training. The aim of the thesis is to investigate how to train future mathematics teachers on dealing with students'errors and how to improve this training in trainee practices environment. Consequently, we are interested in different essential elements in the training, such as the primary knowledge or training knowledge transmitted by the trainers to the trainees, and the strategies or situations implemented and so forth. ln order to study these elements, different analysis grids are established to be implemented by trainers and trainees in classroom settings. These analysis tools displayed the conclusion that the effects of training observed on trainee practices concerning the question of errors are not significant.

This thesis aims to symbolise the maternal through an exploration of the associations of women teachers with mothering practices, focusing in particular on how these develop within a Maltese context. The main argument of the thesis is that as women's and especially Maltese women's subjectivities are identified through their various associations with the maternal, it is difficult, as it is ineffective to completely disregard such discourses in attempting to symbolise women. The research explores the ways women use their maternal positionings as women, and especially those as teachers to go beyond limited associations of the maternal. The theoretical framework for this study is made up of some of the most important ideas of Luce Irigaray and Michel Foucault. Foucault's work on power and selfcreation inspires the research but especially his method of genealogy that informs the analysis of the associations between teaching and mothering, as we know them in the present. The study also draws on Irigaray's critique of phallocentric social systems; her notion of establishing relations between women and maternal genealogies and above all her arguments for women's own symbolisation of themselves as subjects. The thesis, however, is not entirely framed by what these theorists say. It is directed by the conversations with eleven women teachers about mothering and teaching. This is an original attempt to intertwine the theories of two well established authors with the ideas and philosophies of these women teachers aiming at symbolising these women as creators of their own know ledges as well as creators of their own selves.

This dissertation focuses on the teaching of primary school mathematics in an Irish context through a case study analysis of a national mathematics intervention programme which the author led across the disadvantaged school sector. It deals with the complex reality of delivering a national intervention programme across a heterogeneous, widely dispersed, and multi-layered schools environment, dealing with intervention delivery in 320 disadvantaged primary schools, training 700 intervention specialists, 1300 primary teachers, and responding to thousands of children from disadvantaged backgrounds that had been identified as falling behind in terms ofthe mathematics curriculum. Drawing on the complexity theory literature, this dissertation provides a robust theoretical underpinning to the application of the Mathematics Recovery Programme (MRP). The thesis weaves together as a seamless garment the intervention programme, the school, the teachers and the pupils, as four segments of an indivisible whole. It utilises a heightened understanding of the concept of teacher professional learning as a driving force in the delivery of a high quality programme through teachers' professional engagement leading to a change in teachers' attitudes and practices, and improvement in pupils' mathematics learning. Through the use of a case study method, it presents a rigorous enquiry of the implementation ofthe intervention programme, highlighting its multifaceted nature while simultaneously making pertinent enquiries, and interrogating the practice on the ground against the academic literature at the micro, meso and, where appropriate, the macro levels. Finally, as a professional doctoral thesis, it reaches strong conclusions based on the evidence of the research which have ramifications for both on-going research in this area as well as for the development and implementation of successful intervention programmes across the primary curriculum.

Looking back over a long career as a secondary school English teacher prompted the reflection that during my professional lifetime something of former value has been lost by teachers. I tentatively attributed this to an apparent deterioration in the way in which teachers are perceived by other members of society, and it is this supposition and its implications that this dissertation explores. My concern was, in part, personal. More significant was my growing belief that this seemingly negative perception of teachers was - and is - discouraging able graduates from embarking on a career in education, demoralising serving teachers, and consequently damaging the schooling of pupils, who are our central concern. Given that images are socially constructed, I located my work within the symbolic interactionist paradigm, and explored perceptions from a range of sources. I first investigated ways in which teachers are depicted in books recommended to pupils through the National Curriculum for English, and from English public examination prescribed texts; I subsequently expanded data through interviews with teachers and other members of society, through analysis of newspaper reports and articles, and through consideration of views obtained from pupils. Data confirmed that teachers are generally conceptualised negatively, and thus, in the populist sense, as non-professionals. However, there is evidence, too, of more positive perceptions. I deduce that teacher-image is characterised by ambivalence, and irony, and is vulnerable to change. Moreover, setting teacher-image against its socio-historic background implies that this ambiguity of perception symptomises prevailing attitudes to education. Thus, current initiatives - which may be interpreted as intended,in part, to reconceptualise teacher-image - could suggest recent recognition of the importance of conveying positive perceptions of teachers, in order to recruit and retain competent and committed practitioners.

Dominant discourses of quality assurance in UK higher education posit assessment as a transparent and rigorous process through the ascription of the two key and inter-related concepts of validity and reliability. Drawing on ethnographic research into the assessment procedures and practices of one teacher-training course in England (a part-time course for teachers in the learning and skills sector which is delivered on a franchise basis across a network of further education colleges), this thesis demonstrates that claims to assessment validity and reliability are contestable. The thesis draws on three complementary social practice theories (communities of practice, new literacy studies and actor-network theory) in order to reveal assessment as being a complex, localised practice characterised by contingency and improvisatory behaviours on the part of both tutors and students, mediated by a variety of genres of textual artefacts. These divergent and complex practices are shown to disrupt dominant managerialist discourses of assessment practice in higher education. They are also shown to disrupt dominant definitions of learning, teaching and assessment in higher education, which predominantly rest on models of individual cognition and transferable skills, and which this thesis critiques through the use of social practice accounts of learning within communities-of practice. The thesis demonstrates that assessment is more contingent and complex than dominant discourses of assessment practice in HE allow, thereby problematising claims to reliability and validity. The thesis makes contributions to current literature and research in two ways. Firstly, it concludes by offering a series of suggestions as to how assessment validity and reliability might be enhanced or reframed. Secondly, it demonstrates how communities of practice theory can be used critically to explore pedagogic activity, including assessment, within formal educational settings.

Efficacy beliefs can determine how environmental opportunities and obstacles are perceived and affect choice of activities. They can determine the amount of effort which is given to an activity and how long people will persevere when faced with difficulties and failures (Bandura, 1997). Perceived self-efficacy is reported to be an important stress resource factor in mitigating teacher burnout (Schwarzer & Hallum, 2008). This paper includes a systematic review which reviews eleven published studies that look at the relationship between self-efficacy and burnout in teachers. A number of findings were made including all studies having a negative relationship between teacher self-efficacy and burnout and all studies having a negative relationship between teacher self-efficacy and the burnout dimension depersonalisation. This paper also includes a bridging document of how the findings from the systematic review led to the empirical piece of research. As part of this explanatory link between the two the theoretical underpinnings of the research and the research paradigm are considered. The aim of the empirical piece was to explore the influence of a teacher’s role on collective efficacy beliefs and teachers’ perception of possible collective efficacy sources. Participants were 178 teachers from primary, secondary and special schools in a small local authority in the North East of England. The research had two phases, quantitative and qualitative. Analysis of teacher collective efficacy beliefs found that those teachers who had an extra role of responsibility within school or were a member of senior management reported higher collective efficacy scores than those teachers who did not have such roles. Thematic analysis found four themes: communication, learning, supporting roles and stress management. This study adds to the under researched area of how teacher collective efficacy beliefs are formed and how they could be enhanced.

This thesis reports on organizational innovations which have been implemented in eleven teacher education institutions in the North West of England. Its purpose is to present a study of the character and relationship between the innovation phenomenon and environmental influences. Particular reference is made of the administrative structure in context. It was hypothesized that 1. organizational innovation will be extensively controlled if originally from outside the teacher education institution. If such innovation originates from within the institution it will be intensively controlled. 2. Organizational innovation will impact more intensively when under influence from outside the teacher education institution than if subjected to internal influence. 3. Organizational innovation will reveal intensive influence on the administrative structure if the climate within the teacher education institution is decisive. PROCEDURES An Innovation Evaluation Questionnaire (IEQ) developed by the researcher was used in conjunction with an Innovation Nature Measurement Instrument (INMI) to measure the data. The Staff Questionnaire and Interview Schedule were designed to collaborate the information with the Environmental Influence Measurement Instrument (EIMI). These instruments were used at various stages of a three-phased methodological configuration. A total of 71 administrative and managerial staff comprised the research sample in this study. Findings: The study revealed 1. a clear link between the innovation phenomenon and climatic conditions which existed within the administrative structure of teacher education. 2. The institutions have tended to be dominated by the external policies of change agents. In this connection the authority power of the DES appear to have been used to engender efficacy. 3. The study revealed a general trend to see organizational innovations as difficult to manage in the light of extensiv~ external control over them by change agents. CONCLUSIONS It was generally concluded that the character of organizational innovations is related to the level of administrative control ,subject to external dominance power and local managerial quality.

Exploratory Practice (EP), as a framework for teacher development, is a collaborative endeavour of both teachers and learners which engages them in reflection to improve the quality of life in a language classroom. The present case study was carried out at the University of Sindh, Jamshoro (USJP) in Pakistan, where teachers in the institute of English Language and Literature participated in the project by following the principles of EP in their teaching. The project ran for a full academic year consisting of two semesters of four months each. The present study evaluates the effectiveness of the EP project carried out at the USJP which is measured from two perspectives; its significance as a form of practitioner research, and as an approach to teacher-development. The significance of EP as a form of practitioner research is measured by evaluating the impact of EP during the project to the ELT practice at the USJP. An evaluation of EP as an approach to teacher development is carried out in the light of the experiences and views of the teacher-participants presented in the post-interview results which are conducted at the end of the project. The teacher-participants had very little exposure to professional development approaches, and were unfamiliar with EP before joining the project. However, the findings show they were successful in following the principles of EP in their teaching, and the puzzles worked through by the participants who employed EP as a form of practitioner research during the project made a significant contribution towards the ELT practice at the USJP. The post-interview results show that teacher-participants found EP to be a useful approach to their professional development which did not require extra effort and time to put into practice.

The study is in three parts. Part One looks at background. It briefly covers historical concepts of education; it goes on to look at the people who enter teaching and why they have chosen it as a career. Lastly part one looks at the hurdles they have to negotiate before being offered a place a college of education. Part Two looks at some of the variables which affect student teaching performance – personality, flexibility and how these have been shown to relate to measured teaching performance. It also looks at those variables external to the student which research has shown are likely to affect the marks a student will get for teaching practice. Finally section two looks at the relationship between teaching practice performance and future performance as a qualified teacher. Part Three is the empirical research. Five year groups of students already in colleges of education and one further group interviewed for a place at Bede College, Durham, constitute the research sample. Measures of academic performance, interview grades, I.Q. and flexibility scores were used as predictors of student teaching marks. Consistently the I.Q. score and flexibility score in multiple battery produced the best first order multiple prediction of teaching practice marks. Also consistently, G.C.E. and Interview grades produced the worst multiple prediction of teaching practice marks. The test of flexibility was shown by multiple regression analysis to consistently provide the significant predictive contribution to those multiple batteries in which it was present. The women students obtained very significantly higher scores on the test of flexibility than did the men students. One unexpected finding was that students who would have preferred to go to university were regarded as significantly poorer ' classroom performers than the rest. The appendices deal with the various predictors used in the empirical study, in particular with the development of the test of flexibility. The hypothesis that a test of verbal flexibility would predict the marks awarded to students for their teaching practice performance was accepted.