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Pilot 2002

During 2002, 230 teachers, at all career stages and within a range of work contexts, took up the opportunity to participate in a pilot to test the standards as a definition of their contemporary work and to help shape their use. Overwhelmingly, teachers responded positively to the content of the Standards and were excited by the opportunity the framework provides to strengthen and renew the teaching profession.

The four phases of the Pilot were:

Immersion
A three-day workshop exploring the Professional Standards for Teachers and the concepts of critical reflection and networked learning communities.

Supported Reflective Practice
- Field-testing the Standards, in context
- Designing participants' preferred models of reflection and networking
- Proposing supports to enact these models
- Engaging in discussion with colleagues.

Professional Pathways
- Identifying strengths and learning and development goals
- Locating and taking up relevant professional development opportunities and resources to meet goals.

Responsive Practice
- Critiquing the Standards in practice
- Contributing to the refinement and revision of the framework
- Informing models of effective engagement with the Standards
- Sharing effective practice models of reflection and discussion on teaching and learning

Major findings:

The Professional Standards for Teachers is validated as an authentic framework for reflection on professional practice.
The standards captured the complex nature of teachers' work across locations and career stages.
The Professional Standards for Teachers can be used for planning and structuring ongoing PD.
The Professional Standards for Teachers were affirmed by respondents as being pivotal to, and providing a sound basis for strengthening and renewing the teaching profession.
Pilot processes that supported engagement with Standards: Immersion workshops and face-to-face networks.

Some Key Recommendations:

The Standards themselves be subject to ongoing analysis and discussion
The Focus on the framework for professional learning should be maintained
The Standards be embedded within a system of recognition
The Standards be available to all teachers and administrators in Education Queensland schools
The further use of Standards be aligned with other systemic innovations
The second phase of engagement with Standards be implemented shift emphasis from personal reflection to professional community.

For further information about the pilot, please refer to the following documents:

From personal reflection to professional community: Education Queensland, Professional Standards for Teachers Evaluation of the 2002 Pilot (new window) 390k

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