This seventh segment of the suite of projects to grow Singapore teachers characterizes the impact of the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programmes, which comprises primary, secondary, and Junior College (JC) levels, on participants’ professional development in terms of their professional identity, efficacy, and competence. Its findings will provide insights to inform Ministry of Education’s (MOE) policies on teacher learning, elucidates how enhancements to NIE’s PGDE programmes have affected the development of teachers at the preparation stage, and suggests possibilities to further strengthen the programmes. These efforts are focused at providing systemic improvements that will ultimately benefit the education system.
Principal Investigator
LOW Ee Ling
Co-Principal Investigators
Prof. GOODWIN A. Lin, Dr. GOH Sao-Ee, Assoc. Prof. HUAN Swee Leng, Vivien
Collaborators
Mrs. CHUA-LIM Yen Ching, Prof. YEUNG Alexander Seeshing, Assoc. Prof. CHONG Kwong Mei, Eddy
Research Associate
Ms. TAN Shi Yah, Jocelyn
Objectives
- To examine how the enhanced PGDE programmes have helped STs develop their professional identity and teacher efficacy
- To examine development of teacher identity, competence and efficacy between 12-month and the enhanced 16-month graduates
- To identify factors that contribute to STs and serving teachers’ PD of teacher identity, competence, and efficacy
- To identify areas for enhancements for the PGDE programmes
Findings
- Enhanced programmes developed STs’ sense of professional identity and efficacy
- Enhancements were generally useful in developing teacher identity, competence and efficacy
- Three main factors contributed to the development of teacher identity, competence, and efficacy:
- people
- rigorous programme
- clinical practice
- Delivery of some courses lowered effectiveness and confidence
- Some improvement required after enhancements
Insights
- New teacher roles affect ongoing identity, competence, and efficacy development, and TE programmes need to be more responsive, relevant and nimble
- Forging strong professional relationships during PGDE with peers, school mentors and teacher educators have a positive impact
- Strengthening the environment to better support STs can help develop a strong sense of teacher autonomy as part of ongoing identity, competence and efficacy development
Programme and Policy Implications
- NIE programmes need to be re-evaluated and take cognisance of the changing social and educational landscape and the future roles of teachers
- Emphasise more on digital technologies for virtual and blended learning platforms, teacher mental well-being, and lifelong learning
- Promote and build even greater collaborative aspects into TE programmes, policy support and school mentorship
- Enhancements made must contribute to the evolution of teacher education in the Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear and Incomprehensible (BANI) world
Citation
Low, E. L., Goh, S. E., & Tan, J. S. Y. (2023). Building an evidence-base for teacher education: A longitudinal and cross-sectional study of the PGDE programmes.