Open Access for Teachers' Professional Development
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 355 938 IR 016 036 AUTHOR Lundin, Roy; And Others TITLE Open Access for Teachers' Professional Development. Towards a Cooperative National Policy Framework for the Application of Distance Learning to the Professional Development of Teachers. A Project of National Significance in Teacher Quality. SPONS AGENCY Australian Dept. of Employment, Education and Training, Canberra. PUB DATE Nov 91 NOTE 117p. PUB TYPE Reports Evaluative/Feasibility (142) EDRS PRICE MFO1 /PCO5 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Access to Information; Cost Effectiveness; *Distance Education; Educational Policy; Elementary School Teachers; Elementary Secondary Education; Foreign Countries; *Information Technology; *Inservice Teacher Education; *National Programs; *Policy Formation; *Professional Development; Program Development; Public Policy; Secondary School Teachers; State Programs; Telecommunications IDENTIFIERS Australia; Information Policy; *Open Access (Teacher Professional Development); Technological Infrastructure ABSTRACT The principal aim of Australia's Distance Learning for Inservice Teacher Education (DLITE) Project has been to developa proposal and knowledge base for the development of a cooperative national policy for the application of distance learning to inservice teacher education in Australia. This report provides background information on the state of open access for teacher professional development and a proposed policy framework with a list of potential projects. "Open access" is the application of the wholerange of delivery methods for education and training. It is achieved, ideally, through infrastructures that extend opportunities to educators and students to participate in all forms of teaching and learning from on-campus face-to-face through the use of advanced telecommunications and information technology formerly associated with distance education. Open access should be included in current national developments because it offers unique and beneficial solutions to several problems; its adoption is both timely and urgent. Clear criteria are required to evaluate the appropriateness of policy proposals for open access. Adoption of a cooperative national policy framework for open access for teachers' professione. development will support the establishment of nationwide infrastructures to facilitate cooperation and consultation, resource sharing, and cost-effectiveness. Specific projects can be implemented in the short term to build on current open access initiatives. Eleven appendixes contain an outline of the project methodology, lists of contributors and other involved persons, a summary of teacher training principles and good practices, information on the existing infrastructure for open access, an explanation of management aspects of state and territory education systems, and other relevant materials. (Contains 94 references.) (SLD) r ,\\ U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) - "'"1 O This document has bee Ireproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points of view or opt nons st stet intbspilLcu- meet do not necesunly represent official OERI position or polio, Toviards a Cooperative,National Pclicy Framework for the Application of DistanceLearnin to the Professional DeVelopmentof Teachers "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY Roy Lundin TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)" OPEN ACCESS FOR TEACHERS' PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Towards a Cooperative National Policy Framework for the Application of Distance Learning to the Professional Development of Teachers A Project of National Significance in Teacher Quality Commissioned by The Department of Employment, Education and Training NOVEMBER 1991 Project Team: Dr Roy Lundin, QUT (Project Officer) Ms Helen Williams, QUT (Senior Research Officer) Prof Leo Bartlett, UCQ Assoc Prof Rod Gerber, QUT Mr Bruce Scriven, QUT i 3 November1991 Minister for Employment, Education and Training Parliament House CANBERRA ACT 2600 Dear Mr Dawkins, In August 1990, this Project Team was commissioned to develop proposals for a cooperative national policy for the application of distance learning to inservice teacher education (DLITE). We are pleased now to present our Report produced through an extensive mapping and consultative process.It contains: background information summarising the state of open access for teachers' professional development across Australia; a proposed policy framework with strategy ideas for implementation; and a list of projects which may be implemented in the short term. After appropriate consideration, it would seem of value for you to table the Report at the next meeting of the AEC as a basis for endorsing a common, agreed approach and further action. The Report could then be referred to the AEC Working Party on a National Communications Framework for the Educational Delivery and the National Project on Teaching and Learning. We also recommend its wide distribution as a basis for new initiatives. Throughout the project we have received strong support and invaluable assistance from participants across all states, systems, sectors and community groups with an interest in education. Thank you for the opportunity of contributing to the process of improving educational quality in Australia. Yours sincerely, Dr Roy Lundin, Project Officer Ms Helen Williams, Senior Research Officer Prof. Leo Bartlett Assoc. Prof. Rod Gerber Mr Bruce Scriven 4 ii Open Access for Teachers' Professional Development CONTENTS Letter of Transmittal i Contents iii Acknowledgements vii List of Initialisms and Acronyms viii Section 1 Open Access for Teachers' Professional Development 6 1.1 The DLITE Project 6 .2 Terminology 7 1.3 Open Access and Communications Technology B 1.4 The Ideal Scenario 12 1.5 Significant Features of the Ideal Scenario 13 1.6 Summary 14 Section 2 The Rationale for Adopting and Implementing an Open Access Approach to Teachers' Professional Development 15 2.1 Changes in Education 15 2.2 The Continuing Professional Development Response of Some Australian Professions and Industries 18 2.3 Implications for TPD 21 2.4 Summary 22 Section 3 Existing Foundations for an Open Access Approach 23 3.1 Policies for Teachers' Professional Development 23 3.2 The Management and Provision of Teachers' Professional Development 27 3.3 Communications Technology and Education 42 3.4 Summary 48 Section 4 Characteristics of a Responsive Policy for Open Access for TPD 50 4.1 Criteria Relevant to the Teaching Profession 50 4.2 Socio-political Criteria .53 identities and aspirations. 54 4.3 Feasibility Criterion 54 4.4 Summary 55 Section 5 Proposals for a Policy Framework 56 5.1 Program Design and Development Infrastructure 56 5.2 Communications Infrastructure 61 5.3 Management Infrastructure 64 and valued by all employers, including for promotional purposes. 70 5.4 Summary 72 Section 6 Realising the Scenario 73 6.1 A National Educational Network for Schools 73 6.3 Projects recommended to the AEC 76 6.4 Management Infrastructure Projects 76 6.5 A Final Word 76 References 77 Appendix A 83 Appendix B 85 Appendix C 86 Appendix D 87 Appendix E 88 Appendix F 94 Appendix G 95 Appendix H 99 Appendix I 103 Figure 1 Professional Development Strategies of the Australian Science Teachers' Association. 34 Figure 2 Foundations for improved valuation or recognition of teachers' professional development 41 Figure 3 Telecommunications Carriers and Their Services 44 Figure 4 Databases of relevance to TPD 68 6 iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Project Team wishes to acknowledge the invaluable support and assistance of various contributors to the Project. The appendices contain lists of individuals and organisations who have assistad in various ways. In particular, thanks are extended to: The Department of Employment, Education and Training for the funding support and advice; State consultants to the Project; Individuals and organisations who offered their views and suggestions at interviews and/or through written submissions or directed the project towards appropriate sources of information; Forum participants, and The Teaching Quality Steering Committee, DEET. v List of Initialisms and Abbreviations AARNET Australian Academic and Research Network ABC Australian Broadcasting Commission ACE Australian College of Education ACER Australian Council for Educational Research ACEUT Australian Committee on Educational Use of Telecommunications ACIN Australian Curriculum Information Network ACSSO Australian Council of State School Organisations ACT Australian Capital Territory ADEN Australian Distance Education Network AEC Australian Education Council AGPS Australian Government Publishing Service AISQ Association of Independent Schools of Queensland ASCIDEC Australian Science Distance Education Consortium AS CIS Australian Schools Curriculum Information Service ASPESA Australian and South Pacific External Studies Association AST Advanced Skills Teacher ASTA Australian Science Teachers' Association AT & T American Telephone and Telegraph ATP Australian Teachers' Federation ATU Australian Teachers Union AUS SAT Australian Satellite AUSTEL Australian Telecommunication Authority AVCC Australian Vice-Chancellors Committee BITNET 'Because it's time!' Network (Email in USA) CAE College of Advanced Education CAP Country Areas Program CATS Centre for Advanced Teaching Studies CBAS Computer Based Administration System CBTS Computer