fiona barker - using cambridge english teacher for continuing professional development

© UCLES 2013

Using Cambridge English Teacher for Continuing Professional Development

Fiona Barker

© UCLES 2013

Fill in the gapsAn effective ____________ stems from

effective p_____, p_____ and p_____.

An effective language school stems from effective people, policies and practices.

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Workshop Aims• To explore how online communities can help

teaching staff to develop their skills, knowledge and other aspects of their CPD.

• To present the rationale and look together at the range of resources on offer in Cambridge English Teacher.

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Workshop Aims 2• To consider which resources would be of

most benefit in your context.

• To suggest ways in which we can improve what is currently on offer.

• To consider what can be done to involve more teachers and institutions in online communities.

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Cambridge English Language Assessment

• Exam board offering a range of ESOL language tests and teaching qualifications

• A unique approach to teaching, learning and assessing English, driven by world-class research and continuous innovation

• Committed to:• educational excellence• language learning that benefits society

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Overview1. Benefits and challenges of CPD for

language education2. Using online materials for CPD: rationale

and our experiences 3. Case study: Cambridge English Teacher4. Linking online CPD to existing

frameworks & professional associations 5. What’s next?

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1. Benefits and challenges of CPD for language education

What’s our view of CPD?

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Activity 1: Think of one word that describes CPD

engagement

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CPD involves …

www.abcya.com/word_clouds.htm

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How does CPD benefit language education?

1. Who are the stakeholders?

2. What benefits does CPD bring to key stakeholders?

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Contexts & usesof educational outcomesInputs to education

Curriculum

Teaching & learning

Internal & external

assessments

Qualifications

Educational system

Who goes here?

And here?

Activity 2: Stakeholders in language education

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StudentsTeachersDirectors of StudiesSchool managersExam boardsTest writersExaminers Receiving institutionsFuture employersGovernment agenciesProfessional bodiesTest administratorsMaterials writersPublishersetc.

Students Parents/familiesTeachersDirectors of StudiesSchool managersReceiving institutions EmployersExaminersGovernment agenciesProfessional bodiesAcademic researchersTest writersExaminersetc.

Educational system

Inputs to education

Curriculum

Teaching & learning

Internal &external

assessments

Qualifications

Educational System

Stakeholders

Contexts & usesof educational outcomes

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Activity 3: Benefits of CPDWhat benefits does successful CPD bring to one or more of these groups?

– Teachers

– DOS

– Management

– Language school chains

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Benefits of successful CPD

– Teachers: career revitalisation, progression, promotion …

– DOS: motivated staff with up-to date skills & knowledge, peer support …

– Management: identifying staff for promotion, aiding recruitment, retention, cost effectiveness …

– Language school chains: comparable training across multiple sites, publicity …

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Activity 4: What are the main challenges to providing or undertaking CPD?

1. Management/DOS: Providing CPD

2. Staff: Undertaking CPD

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What are the main challenges to providing or undertaking CPD?

1. Management: Providing CPD– expense, access, technology,

motivation/inclination, keeping track, following up on staff …

2. Staff: Undertaking CPD– time management, motivation,

following up, peer pressure

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Defining CPD and its benefits for language education: Summary

In section 1 we:1.Considered key words to do with CPD.2.Thought about key stakeholder groups in

language education. 3.Suggested some of the benefits and

challenges of CPD for management, staff and more widely.

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Any questions or comments?

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2. Using online materials for CPD

• Rationale

• Our experiences

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A rationale for CPDSuccessful CPD:• Gives schools a competitive advantage• Complements formal teaching qualifications• What else?

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Activity 5: Your experience of online professional developmentWhat types of online materials have you used

for your own PD?

What motivated you to use them?

Did they offer everything you needed at the time? If not, what would have improved them?

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Our experience of online PDOnline materials: • blogs / wikis / discussion forums / VLEs /

subscription or free websites / courses / webinars ...

Motivation: • requirement / recommendation / stumbled

upon …Improvements:• accessibility / accurate / up to date …

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Using online materials for CPD: Summary

• We considered how online CPD might help a language school or training organisation.

• We reflected on our own use of online materials and communities for PD, thinking about why we used such materials.

• We started to think about how they could be improved.

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3. Case study: Cambridge English Teacher

• Cambridge English Teacher delivers online PD to English language teachers around the world.

• Collaborative initiative with Cambridge University Press to raise English teaching standards worldwide through:• Increasing expertise through PD and career

development• Easy, affordable access - anytime, anywhere• Cambridge English quality

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Online Professional Development Community • Courses • Webinars• Articles• Access to • Discussion forums• User profiles

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What membership options are available?• Two types of membership:

– Institutional– Teacher

Institutional Membership:• Continuously develops your teachers’ skills and expertise • Online training fits around busy schedules • Recruitment opportunities • Every teacher receives the benefits of Teacher Membership.

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Teacher Membership• Join a community of over 30,000 language

teachers• Free course on joining – and every year when

renewing – with discounts on further courses• Webinars, talks and articles from educational

experts • Certificates of completion/participation for courses

and webinars• Recruitment opportunities.

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Online opportunities with CETRegistered guest users have access to:

•1 course (free Grammar for Teachers: Language Awareness course)

•Resources

•Events (webinars etc..)

•Discussions

•More is available to subscribers

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Quick site tour

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Courses

Currently 14 self-study courses (around 10 hours each)

Certificate from Cambridge • Add to portfolio/CV

1 included in every year of membership (can purchase more)

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Current courses

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Resources

Articles

Knowledge library• Continuous access• Industry leaders

Growing

Videos & webinars

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Latest resources

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Sample resource

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Events

• Webinars – participate and/or watch recordings

• Information about forthcoming Cambridge Days and national and international conferences

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Upcoming events

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Webinars

Every two weeks - provides ongoing engagement for the community

Lead by teaching experts- participants can interact with leading figures

Can be watched again afterwards

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Recent webinars

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Discussions

Any member can start or add to a discussion forum

- 30,000 peers- teaching and assessment experts

Private discussions can be held with institutional membership

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Some discussions

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Activity 6Which components of Cambridge Englishteacher would be particularly relevant to one of these teacher’s needs and interests? Why?

1)a new teacher2)an experienced teacher who needs new motivation3)an experienced and enthusiastic teacher4)a teacher concerned about their language skills

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Relevance of Cambridge English Teacher1) new teacher

2) experienced teacher needing motivation

3) experienced & enthusiastic teacher

4) teacher concerned about language skills

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Additional features for institutional members (including their teachers)

• Private Community (20+ users)• Upload specific content e.g. documents or event

information • Messaging to your staff• Communication and Collaboration

• Multi-site institutions or groups of schools• Management and review of your staff’s use

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Launched this month…Recruitment

• Post unlimited job adverts within each membership year

• Search talented candidates and view their profiles

• Verify applicants’ Cambridge English teaching qualifications

• Receive applications and requests from job-seekers through the site

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Cambridge English Teacher: Summary

• We have looked at the range of resources currently available in this online community.

• We considered how these resources would help teachers at different career stages.

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4. Linking online CPD to existing frameworks & professional associations

Why should we invest in online CPD?

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Cambridge English Teacher could help your institution to meet EAQUALS’ inspection criteria4.13 – Support and Guidance for Teachers• Access to courses & resources • Access to forums

• private institutional forums • site-wide ones to draw on the expertise of others• course-specific forums.

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4.15. Professional development review of teaching staff• Academic managers can use Cambridge

English Teacher to:• recommend specific sets of development materials

to teachers with different needs. • select from around 100 resources (articles,

webinar recordings etc.)• purchase specific courses for individuals or groups

of teachers.

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8.29 Training and professional development• All members have access to a Journal in their

profile – this can be used for reflection on any specific actions, courses of study and their application in the classroom

• Managers can produce reports on course progress, and, if their teachers allow it, they can access their teachers’ profiles to look at all courses taken, qualifications listed etc.

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9.32 Information available to staff about the institution

• Institutional members can add documents, videos, discussion threads etc… which could include information about their school or company.

• They can also communicate through announcements to their teachers, and through the internal Inbox system.

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To sum up, Cambridge English Teacher offers:

Development– Courses– Webinars– Resources– Discussions– Profiles

Management– Cost-effective CPD– Control: manage and

review staff use– Personalised private

community and branding

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Don’t forget to visit our Teacher Support website

• Information about all of our assessments and teaching qualifications.

• Teaching resources for each part of each exam.

• More features to support teachers.

www.teachers.cambridgeenglish.org

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4. Linking online CPD to existing frameworks & professional associations: Summary

• We considered why it’s worth investing in online CPD.

• We found out how online CPD can help institutions to achieve accreditation from professional associations.

• We saw how many countries already have users of Cambridge English Teacher.

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5. What’s next?• New developments are planned for

Cambridge English Teacher – watch this space!

• We would welcome your ideas for:• How can we improve what is currently on

offer?• What can be done to involve more teachers in

similar online CPD communities?

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LinksAbcya word clouds:

www.abcya.com/word_clouds.htmCambridge English home page:

www.cambridgeenglish.orgCambridge English Teacher Support

www.teachers.cambridgeenglish.orgCambridge English Teacher:

www.CambridgeEnglishTeacher.orgOverview of EAQUALS Standards and Assessment

Criteria, last accessed 16/04/13 from http://clients.squareeye.net/uploads/eaquals2011/documents/Overview_of_EAQUALS_standards_and_assessment_criteria.pdf