Identifying the professional development needs of early career teachers in Scotland using nominal group technique

Abstract

This paper reports on phase 1 of a project commissioned by Learning and Teaching Scotland to explore the continuing professional development (CPD) needs of teachers in Scotland in years 2–6 of their careers. Nominal group technique (NGT) was employed to identify the CPD needs of year 2–6 teachers and to identify the relative priority of these needs. The NGT data were subsequently used, together with findings from a review of literature, to inform a national survey. The paper outlines key issues arising from the NGT phase. Conclusions consider some of the potential drawbacks of NGT as a method but focus on the added value which the NGT process contributed to the overall project design.

Keywords:

• continuing professional development
• early career teachers
• nominal group technique

Acknowledgements

The authors and the research team acknowledge the support of Learning and Teaching Scotland who commissioned the project.

We would like to thank the year 2–6 teachers who participated in the nominal group technique interview sessions and the local authority staff who organised the sessions in such a tight timescale.

We also acknowledge the valuable contribution from project team colleagues: Summer Kenesson, Project Manager; Donald Christie, Hugh Gallagher, Eleanor Gavienas, Linda Harris, Jennifer Logue and Raymond Taylor, all from the University of Strathclyde; Christine Fraser from the University of Aberdeen; and Stephen McKinney from the University of Glasgow.