Change or transformation? A critique of a nationally funded programme of Continuous Professional Development for the Further Education system

Abstract

The ubiquitous use of the word transformation to describe the intentions of government policy poses a number of questions, one of which relates to the uncritical and widespread use of the term. Interested in exploring what a ‘transformed’ sector might look like and being in a privileged position of delivering a major element of the government's goals for reform, the researchers decided to explore the impact and reach of a national programme of staff development designed for those working in the Learning and Skills sector (Further Education colleges, work‐based learning, prisons, and schools with a sixth form). The National Transformation Programme for Subject Learning Coaches was written for the DfES Standards Unit as part of a national programme to raise the standards of teaching and learning in further education. The programme represents major investment in what is perceived to be one of the key drivers towards the professionalisation of the sector. The programme model is one of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for priority subject specialists (priority determined by concern raised during Ofsted Inspections and defined by the DfES) with a view to extend the workforce development plans for the sector. This article focuses on all interest groups defined in DFES' Success for All policy. Data collected using a questionnaire distributed by electronic means shows that 85% of the 910 respondents reported positive outcomes as a result of the training. The research indicates that transformation has been achieved in the areas of subject pedagogy and individual professional identity. Transformation across whole organisations proved harder to achieve.

Keywords:

• transformation
• coaching
• change