Topic Specific Subject Knowledge and Pedagogy in One Year Post Graduate Initial Teacher Training Courses

Interview schedule

All to be relocated to the e mail setting up the interview

Dear First name

Thank you for completing the questionnaire asking about Topic Specific Subject Knowledge and Pedagogy in your PGCE course, for all the help you gave in administering the trainee questionnaires and for offering to be interviewed.

The intention here is to try to get a mutually convenient time, in the near future, in which to interview you.

In the interview we will ask you about for more information about some of the responses you made to the questionnaire as well as finding out a bit more about some aspects of the documents that you sent us.

You have the right to withdraw at any point in the interview, or to pass on any question that is asked. Your confidentiality is assured. You will not be identified nor will any information be attributed to you in any reporting of the data.

The interview should take about 40 minutes and is focussed on 5 aspects; course philosophy, the subject knowledge audit, the mentor role, school based training and the continuing needs of the trainees when they are NQTs. We hope it is OK to record the interview as it will take less time that way than if we have to keep pausing to make a note of what you have said. The recording will be securely stored at the university.

David Salt who is the research fellow working with us on the project and was formerly one of our mentors will be the person who will be conducting the interview

Settling and contextualising (Philosophy)

In your description of a course session you …..quote …..what would you be expecting students to get/take away from this session?

Why?

Why the types of activities that you indicate …quote….

Is this typical of your sessions/do most other sessions have this pattern?

If ‘no’ – can you give me another example that is different? (our intention is to determine if our labelling of them as sk thro ped or other is accurate)

Where peer support is used to address SKP in university based phases of the course – how is it used? (to determine if UT mediated or not)why?

Is there peer support for SKP when on school practice? (if yes, nature of it)

Use their responses to decide if it fits our perception of where they fit in our typology/ description of course

SK Audit

What is the purpose/value?

How is it verified?

Is there a place for auditing TSP/

How / Why? Format?

HO 32 only – ask about tutor role – reason – higher score in trainee q’aire and the same for the tutor response – different from other courses.

HOXX 2 cases only - why pedagogy audit/value/verification?

Mentor Role/School based training

What is the purpose/function of the mentor meetings?

Open question to explore further the nature/content of the ‘formal school based training’.

How does (or does and then how) the university support the progression of trainees when they are in school?

What is ‘good quality’ mentoring? (to explore that which enhances trainee engagement with SKP)

Is /should any support be provided for classroom teachers (who are not mentors) in helping trainee teachers? (focus on the nature and form of the support if felt appropriate)

Ask about trainee support with the teaching and learning in school-based phase generally (ie not mention mentors – is the mentor an admin role).

Transferability of skills

How will trainees from your course address topics they meet for the first time in their NQT year?

Specific institution questions

HO27 - trainee Q11b v tutor Q 27b (mismatch)

HO22 – 2 of the cases have a very different response to HSW in trainee q’airre/interview compared with others – why?

Their perceptions of the (continuing) needs of trainees as NQTs

Do university tutors have a role to play in the future career of NQTs? (link with trainee needs from questionnaires/interviews

Many thanks for your time today.