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7СОЦИАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ ОБЩЕСТВА
УДК 74.204.2
E. K. Lyutova-Roberts, G. B. Monina
Professionalism and Aspects of Professional Development for Psychology Lecturers in the United Kingdom
The article considers professionalism and professional development in teaching practice in the UK. The authors analyses some theories of professionalism and the ways of professional skill improvement of teachers in psychology. Also it covers the questions, concerning the reduction of the effect of managerial professionalism and increase independence (autonomy) of teachers.
Keywords: professionalism, professional development, reflective practice, research in action.
Contact details: Lyutova-Roberts, E. K.: Park Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 1NQ, United Kingdom; elena.roberts@ymail.com | Monina, G. B.: Polustrovskiy Ave 59, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, 195197; monina-galina@yandex.ru.
'We need to be able to respond to the increasing demands for knowledge about our field'
(Jameson, Hiller, 2003, p. 8)
Introduction
In the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (2003) professionalism is identified as 'the skill and high standards of behaviour expected of a professional person' (p. 1308). According to the same source there are three main definitions to describe a 'professional' person; 'someone who earns money by doing a job'; 'someone who works in a job that needs special education and training'; someone who has a lot of experience and does something very skilfully' (Dictionary of Contemporary English, 2003, p. 1308). Collins' Thesaurus (2009) associates a professional person with the following characteristics: qualified, trained, experienced, competent, dedicated, masterly etc. In total the dictionary definitions and antonyms from the
Lyutova-Roberts Elena Konstantinovna — Protocol National, Psychology lecturer at Uxbridge College, PhD (Psychology), member of the British Psychological Society.
Monina Galina Borisovna — associate professor of Institute of professional development of vocational education (St. Petersburg), Head of International project 'Scientists of St. Petersburg to lecture of Tallin' (2011-2014), member of the Board of the Centre for development and correction 'Academy of childhood' (Tallin, Republic of Estonia), Ph. D. in Phsyhological Sciences.
© E. K. Lyutova-Roberts, G. B. Monina, 2014
Thesaurus reflect the main attributes of a professional person but there are other clarifications needed in order to explain what professionalism in educational settings means. What differentiates a professional teacher or lecturer from a nonprofessional?
'To teach well, it is often assumed, one needs little more than knowledge of the relevant subject and common sense... most teachers themselves continue to prioritise their subject knowledge over and above the knowledge, skills and understanding required to teach effectively' (Robson, 2006, p. 25). We entirely support Robson's view in his disapproval of such teachers. Of course, we believe that knowledge is an essential component in education but from our experience, in the teaching profession 'knowledge' means not just being an expert in the taught subject but also, in the first instance, being informed about the main facets of pedagogy, and current policies with respect to teaching and learning. To be an effective professional in education it is vital to know not just what to teach but also how to do it.
The notion of professionalism in teaching practice
The notion of 'professionalism' has become very popular since 1950, when sociologists attempted to understand the contemporary condition of teachers and lecturers as professionals (Whitty, 2008). Often 'professionalism' is associated with a particular 'attitude and responsibilities demonstrated within a specific social context. Implicit is the notion that professionalism is more than individual satisfaction, but relates to the 'common good' and that such values remain to some extent independent of government policy changes or shifts in the economy' (Avis et al., 2011, p. 43).
Different researchers identify different aspects of professionalism and underline different core features of its notion, where a crucial role is usually given to theoretical knowledge, education and training, autonomy, an ability to follow 'a code of professional conduct oriented towards the 'public good'' (Whitty, 2008, p. 31-32). Robson stressed the importance of three main ideas of professionalism: responsibility, the previously-mentioned autonomy and professional knowledge (Robson, 2006). From our point of view all these components are very important for the lecturer in the post-compulsory sector.
At the beginning of one's teaching career it is of the essence to be aware of the necessary steps for advancement to true professionalism.
The idea of describing professional progression of teachers attracts a great number of authors in the educational field. Haberman (2011) identified four stages of development and he related them to biological age. From our point of view the idea of age-related stages is appealing but the main drawback is that teachers start their career at different ages so some discrepancies are likely to occur if a person becomes a teacher in later life. An alternative classification was introduced, that of four non age-related hierarchical stages of professional development of teachers.
The author of this theory was Gregorc, who described the stages as follow:
• The first stage is 'Becoming'. Its main feature is the use by teachers of methods and resources.
• At the second stage, 'Growing', teachers consolidate their skills and strategies.
• 'Maturing' is the third stage, associated with strong professional commitment and willingness to experiment.
• The last stage is 'Fully functioning'. It is characterised by teachers' achievements of high levels of self-direction and self-evaluation (Cited: Wallace, 2011).
It is important to know the stages of professional development in order to assess one's own progress and to anticipate and prepare the necessary or possible steps to be taken towards the next stage of improvement.
The New Labour Government established a new form — 'managerial professionalism' which 'accepts that decisions about what to teach, how to teach and how to assess students are made at school and national level rather than by individual teachers themselves' (Furlong, 2005, Cited Whitty, 2008, p. 29). According to the New Labour approach teachers must work in partnership with parents, colleagues, businesses and others outside school. There is no doubt that the relationship between practitioner and society is substantial but at the same time this approach removes teaching autonomy and demonstrates lack of trust in the teacher.
To become a professional teacher it is pivotal to be familiar with contemporary government policies, to be able to analyse them and to relate them to the teaching situation only if they are worthwhile and work in the interests of learners. On one hand policies are intended to make sure that education promotes diversity, equal opportunity and inclusion (Every Child Matters — Making it Happen, 2008; New Challenge, New Chances: Further Education and Skills System Reform Plan, 2011), stimulates individual demands for learning and focuses on the students' needs (Hodgson, 2000) and in this way they aim to protect learners' rights to knowledge and qualifications. On the other hand, at the moment, most government policies in the UK rest 'upon concepts of productivity and performance, and this is eroding the position and capabilities of teachers to make judgments about pupil learning' (Forde et al., 2006, p. 4). As a result it not only restricts teachers' professional autonomy but also discourages them from fully engaging with their work. Moreover educational policies currently tend to be based on unexamined beliefs about teaching and learning processes and about the teaching profession in total (Ibidem).
Hillier suggested that teachers should take a critical approach to policy in further education and '...the key point is for practitioners to engage with policy as we have some power to shape and adjust policy to fit our situations more closely' (Hillier, 2006, p. 17). Nowadays, the relationship 'between research, policy and practice is much more complicated than it might appear on the surface' (Jarvis, 2011, p. 272) and we can see how necessary it is for practitioners to enter a critical debate about government policy with regard to adult learning (Ibidem).
Overall, in this modern era of accountability, Wallace suggests that it is possible to indentify two main aspects of professionalism: 'one is about applying a set of values; the other is about conforming to a code of practice. Central to both is the ability to recognise, and take responsibility for supporting the rights and needs of learners' (Wallace, 2011, p. 63). We cannot agree more. Being professional for us means having an ability to identify individual learners' needs and devoting all one's knowledge and experience to helping them to achieve their potential. But the acquisition of theoretical knowledge is not sufficient to create a professional teacher. One needs practice in applying this knowledge in particular situations. In order to become a teacher it is not enough to know or even to thoroughly understand theory. It is vital to choose what particular approaches suit your personality and your subject specialisation, of course. A number of theoretical approaches need to be 'blended' and applied to individual practice (Lyutova-Roberts, 2012). To be familiar with and understand a theory is also not sufficient to achieve practical results and it is 'because supporting psychological theories and research are self-contained —
they offer no rationale for deciding when one theory or another is more appropriate' (Ingram, 2012, p. 246).
Literature provides us with a great number of different strategies and techniques helping to develop skills and knowledge. Reflective practice strategies are a crucial part of this arsenal. (Monina, Lyutova-Roberts, 2012). Within the psycholateral approach we found an extremely useful model of incremental ability referred to as 'Herzberg's Steps'. The aims of the model are to give a description of different levels of competence and put them in a particular ascending order. There are four steps: unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence and unconscious competence. The main advantage of the model is that it helps to track and analyse one's own progress without making comparisons with others and indicates further directions for professional growth (cited Roffey-Barentsen, Malthouse, 2011).
Putting theories into practice should not be a haphazard process; its aim is to identify the best way of supporting the learner, which from Wallace's (2011) point of view is by necessity a central part of any educational approach. As stated above, being a professional teacher for us also means putting the interests of students first and organising all one's development according to their needs and learning requirements. 'Educational processes are always theorized — even denying the salience of theory represents a theoretical standpoint. It is important to engage with theory, to deconstruct and interrogate it for its users' (Avis, Orr, 2011, p. 27).
In teaching Psychology all generic teaching skills are applied but in addition there are a number of subject-specific techniques which are very important. A Psychology teacher or lecturer needs to be very confident with research methodology and must have the ability to explain and illustrate how social science works.
As a teacher of an academic subject we believe we need to continue to keep our academic skills at a high level. With regard to Psychology these skills, as was mentioned before, first of all relate to research and evaluation. '...New approaches to pedagogy are not just an issue for researchers to develop: they have to be tested and revised in context and by teachers or trainers' (Young, 2000, p. 103). As has been noticed by Jameson and Hillier 'many people in further education institutions have been involved in research activities, sometimes without recognizing that this has been 'research' (Jameson, Hillier, 2003, p. 2). Teachers carry on their performance as researchers in order to scientifically support their educational ideas or before making any improvements to find out what must be changed first.
'We need to develop our research skills to help learners develop their own research skills, to help us advance our own professional practice' (Ibidem, p. 7). There are some possible issues arising from this kind of development. In order to carry out research it is vital to be informed about current ethical requirements and also this form of Continue Professional development must be balanced with other different aspects of professional learning (Bryan et al., 2010) such as reading, communication with professional, etc. Additionally, it is essential that learners' needs are not side-lined and that research activities should benefit students and not be carried out at their expense (in terms of time, attention etc).
The British Psychological Society supports their members working in relevant fields by providing opportunities for continuing professional development. The Society website has a CPD Planning and Recording System accessible on line, CPD resources, workshops and events. A number of e-learning courses are also offered. At the moment we are attracted by the course 'Thinking Strategically'. The course content consists of a variety of topics, including key strategic theories and the main tools used in strategy analysis. It gives some ideas about
how to carry out research in a workplace, evaluate its findings, monitor progress, measure success, and gives advice about other factors that should be taken into account in order to improve one's own performance within an organisation (Learning Centre and CPD, 2012).
Conclusion
Professional identity might be described as a combination of characteristics relating to who we are and what we are. There are many pressures on teachers and lecturers to be particular sorts of 'professional' but we still have a choice (Jarvis, 2011). Currently a number of different models of continuing professional development are promoted and action research is one of them.
For Psychology lecturers it is desirable to continue improving one's own judgement through providing high quality professional research, analysis and publications. 'Researching your own practice is likely to lead to an enhanced understanding of what happens in your classroom. Psychology teachers, with a degree of disciplinary knowledge of research methods, are well placed to research their own practice' (Jarvis, 2011, p. 16). In this age of accountability it is important not to lose one's own voice and professional autonomy. The British Psychological Society's Division for Teachers and Researchers in Psychology encourages teachers to continue studies through working in educational settings. 'Being able to refer to published evidence is a powerful argument for doing things your way. This is especially the case when you can demonstrate personal expertise by means of citing your own publications' (Ibidem, p. 15). This experience gives one the possibility of not avoiding completely but at least minimising the pressure of managerial professionalism in one's own career and the opportunity to justify and share one's point of view based on scientifically supported evidence.
References
1. Avis, J., Orr, K. (2011) Theory and practice. In Avis J., Fisher R., Thompson R. (Ed.) Teaching in Lifelong Learning. Maidenhead: Open University Press, pp. 28-39.
2. Avis, J., Fisher, R., Ollin, R. (2011) Professionalism. In Avis J., Fisher R., Thompson R. (Ed.) Teaching in Lifelong Learning. Maidenhead: Open University Press, pp. 40-47.
3. Bryan, H., Carpenter, Ch., Hoult, S. (2010) Learning and Teaching at M-level. A Guide for Student Teachers. London: Sage.
4. Dictionary of Contemporary English (2003) Ed. Summers, D., Harlow: Longman.
5. Every Child Matters — Making it Happen (2008) Access online www.ble.ac.uk. Last viewed on 30th May 2012.
6. Forde, Ch., McMahon, M., McPhee, A., Patrick, F. (2006) Professional development, reflection and enquiry. London: Paul Chapman Publishing A SAGE Publication Company.
7. Haberman M. (1993) Introduction in The life of Teachers. London: Cassell, pp. 1-23. Access online www.ble.ac.uk. Last viewed on 19th May 2012.
8. Hillier, Y. (2006) Everything you need to know about FE policy. London: Continuum.
9. Hodgson, A. (2000) An international and historical context for recent policy approaches to lifelong learning in the UK. In Policies, Politics and the Future of Lifelong Learning. London: Kogan Page Limited, pp.1-20.
10.Ingram, R. (2012) The educational meets the evolutionary. The psychologist. Vol. 25, No 3, March, pp. 246-248.
11.Jameson, J., Hillier, Y. (2003) Researching Post — Compulsory Education. London; New York: Routledge.
12.Jarvis, M. (2011) Teaching Psychology 14—19. Issues and techniques. London and New York: Routledge.
13.Learning Centre and CPD (2012) The British Psychological Society site. Accessed on line. http://www.bps.org.uk/careers-education-training/learning-centre-and-cpd/learning-cen-tre-and-cpd. Last viewed on 8th June 2012.
14.Lyutova-Roberts, E. (2012) Reflective Log. Institute of Education University of London. Manuscript.
15.Monina G., Lyutova-Roberts E. (2012) Teaching Students Reflective Practice. In Актуальные проблемы прикладной социальной психологии: сборник докладов.
16. New Challenge, New Chances: Further Education and Skills System Reform Plan (2011) November 2010 and August 2011. Access online www.ble.ac.uk. Last viewed on 9th March 2012.
17.Robson, J. (2006) Teacher professionalism in Further and Higher Education — Challenges to Culture and Practice. Abington: Routledge.
18.Roffey-Barentsen J., Malthouse R. ( 2011) Reflective Practice in the Lifelong Learning Sector. Tavistok: Learning Matters.
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21.Whitty, G. (2008) Changing models of teacher professionalism: traditional, managerial, collaborative and democratic. In Cunningham, B. (Ed.) Exploring Professionalism. London: Institute of Education, University of London.
22. Young, M. (2000) Bringing knowledge back in: towards a curriculum for lifelong learning. In Hodgson, A. (Ed.) Policies, Politics and the Future of Lifelong Learning. London: Kogan Page.
УДК 74.204.2
Е. К. Лютова-Робертс, Г. Б. Монина
Профессионализм и пути профессионального роста преподавателей психологии в Великобритании
В статье рассматриваются профессионализм и профессиональное совершенствование в практике преподавания в Великобритании. Авторы анализируют некоторые теории профессионализма и пути повышения профессионального мастерства преподавателей психологии. Также рассматриваются вопросы, касающиеся снижения эффекта «управленческого профессионализма» и повышения независимости (автономии) преподавателей.
Ключевые слова: профессионализм, управленческий профессионализм, автономия, рефлексия.
Контактные данные: Е. К. Лютова-Робертс: Park Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 1NQ, United Kingdom; elena.roberts@ymail.com | Г. Б. Монина: 195197, г. Санкт-Петербург, Полюстровский пр., д. 59; monina-galina@yandex.ru.
Елена Константиновна Лютова-Робертс — преподаватель психологии компании Protocol National (Ахсбридж колледж, Лондон, Великобритания), кандидат психологических наук, член Британского психологического общества.
Галина Борисовна Монина — доцент кафедры «Дистанционные образовательные технологии» Института повышения квалификации специалистов профессионального образования (Санкт-Петербург), руководитель Международного проекта «Ученые Санкт-Петербурга — педагогам Таллина» (2011-2014), член правления Центра развития и коррекции «Академия детства» (г. Таллин, Эстонская Республика), кандидат психологических наук.
© Е. К. Лютова-Робертс, Г. Б. Монина, 2014
