Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 July 2024
271. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she will indicate the expenditure on in-service training her Department incurs; the number of participants; and if she will distinguish between training relating to curriculum changes, digital skills, teaching methods, and leadership. [28679/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department views teacher education as a continuum from initial teacher education to induction and ongoing professional learning.
The Department promotes the quality of teaching and learning through the provision of quality initial teacher education programmes, professional learning experiences (PLE) and other support for school leaders and teachers. This is achieved through the teacher education programmes, education support centres and Oide –the department funded teacher professional development support service - for principals and teachers at primary and post-primary level.
The volume and nature of professional learning in any given year will depend on needs identified on foot of curricular reform, educational strategies, and the particular cohorts of teachers involved.
Many of Oide's teacher professional learning events cut across a number of the themes outlined in the Deputy’s question - for example the professional learning for the new Primary Maths Curriculum includes online leaders’ collaboratives which support school leaders from similar school contexts to lead learning and teaching in the primary classroom. This is then followed by a full school closure day for school and curriculum leaders along with the support of an Oide Professional Learning Leader who works with all teachers as they move into the implementation phase of the Primary Maths Curriculum. This is then complemented by a series of five stage-focused workshops that aim to equip teachers with the confidence and competence to enact the Primary Maths Curriculum and the associated teaching methodologies, including embedding digital literacy skills in their class setting, while enabling teachers and school leaders to share practice within their school and with the wider community.
As an organisation, Oide works across its divisions throughout the scoping, research, design and quality assurance phases – Oide divisions include Leadership, Digital Technology, Primary and Post-Primary.
In total, in 2023 my Department invested in the region of €65 million in the professional development of our teaching staff. As well as direct programme delivery, running and administration costs, this figure includes the pay cost of over 365 seconded teacher educators and funding for substitute teacher cover in schools, where deemed appropriate. Given the integrated nature of design, development and product of PLE offered by Oide and other providers, it is not possible to completely disaggregate the individual costs associated with curriculum changes, digital skills, teaching methods, and leadership.
In terms of annual volume of PLE, in 2023, Oide and its predecessor support services facilitated over 230,000 interactions with teachers, including online and in-person modes of delivery. In the same year, over 500 school leaders availed of its coaching programmes and over 250 school leaders participated in its Post Graduate Diploma in School Leadership (PDSL). In addition, over 4,400 teachers took part in the Droichead programme for newly qualified teachers.
This funding also enabled Education Support Centres to facilitate Oide's national PLE programmes and to address the professional development needs of teachers in their local catchment area, and a range of other external groups to provide PLE, such as through the Teacher Professional Network (TPN) funding scheme and Teacher Fee Refund Scheme.
In addition to the PDSL programme mentioned above, other post-graduate programmes are offered to teachers. These include:
• SPHE/RSE Post Graduate Programme: a new post graduate programme to upskill post-primary teachers who teach Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE). This programme, provided by Dublin City University (DCU) Institute of Education, provides a pathway for progression for post-primary teachers interested in developing their skills in teaching SPHE/RSE and in so doing build capacity and leadership within the teaching profession in relation to SPHE/RSE.
• The first cohort of 34 students commenced in February 2023 with a second cohort of 44 students commencing in February 2024. Depending on demand for this programme, further intakes may be offered in the future.
• Programmes to upskill existing teachers in targeted subject areas: The Teacher Supply Action Plan, published in November 2018, contains a range of actions including the development of programmes to upskill existing teachers in targeted subject areas. Upskilling programmes are provided over two years on a part-time basis and are available for registered teachers to upskill in subjects where teacher supply is constricted. These programmes are free of cost to participants.
My Department and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) issued a funding call in 2019 to initial teacher education (ITE) providers for upskilling programmes in mathematics, physics and Spanish. Following the successful completion of the funding call, these programmes commenced in January 2021.
Over 900 teachers have completed or are in the process of completing these existing programmes.
• Special Education Needs Post Grads: On an annual basis my Department provides funding for two distinct categories of post-graduate programmes for Special Education Teachers:
• Post-Graduate Diploma Programme of Teacher Professional Learning for Special Education Teachers (295 places available)
• Graduate Certificate in Autism Education for teachers working with Autistic Pupils in Special Schools, Special Classes or as Special Education Teachers in mainstream Primary and Post-Primary Schools (18 places available)
M.Oid. san Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge agus Gaeltachta (M.Ed. in Irish-medium and Gaeltacht Education).
Funding has been provided under the Policy on Gaeltacht Education for a blended-Learning M.Oid. san Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge agus Gaeltachta (M.Ed. in Irish-medium and Gaeltacht Education). For students commencing the programme between 2018 and 2022, this course was provided by Mary Immaculate College. The contract for the continued provision of the M.Oid. was awarded to Trinity College Dublin in March 2023 and that course commenced in September 2023. 26 students are registered on the M.Oid in Trinity College for the 2023/24 academic year.
My Department also supports PLE with specific areas of focus provided by agencies such as the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), and the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) in my Department, which also have a remit to provide educational supports to schools as part of their work.
