FantastICT and the TLA
FantastICT recognises the importance of offering teachers proper recognition for time spent on professional development. For face-to-face and on-line training we offer certificates detailing the content of training undertaken and highlighting links to the Professional Standards for Teachers.
For teachers who want to gain certified professional recognition and/or academic credits for professional development linked to FantastICT courses we are working with the General Teaching Council’s Teacher Learning Academy (TLA) to offer teachers opportunities to participate in structured and supported classroom and school-based enquiry.
FantastICT is an official TLA support partner and all our courses are compatible with the TLA.
What is the Teacher Learning Academy?
It is a unique national system built upon:
- a four stage framework that allows teachers to take on professional development projects of differing lengths and depths of enquiry.
- six core dimensions underpinning a learning process; engaging with a knowledge base, coaching and mentoring, planning your learning, carrying out your plan, evaluating learning and impact, sharing your learning and influencing practice
- promoting action research by teachers based in their own professional practice and affording recognition of existing activities, not an ‘extra’
- emphasising collaboration within learning communities, including peer support and verification (mostly done by teachers)
- transparent quality assurance
Where does the Teacher Learning Academy come from?
Research suggests CPD is most effective when teachers have:- access to external support
- opportunities for teacher learning
- peer support through coaching and/or mentoring
- ownership of their CPD content and processes
- professional dialogue rooted in experimenting / trying things out
- opportunities to build on their own expertise
Source: EPPI Centre, University of London (Evidence for Policy and Practice information and co-ordinating Centre)
The advantages to the teachers and schools who participate in the support we offer include:
- Belonging to the Teacher Learning Academy learning community sharing best practice
- Professional recognition – certification of professional development and CATs points towards postgraduate qualifications
- Improvement or development in personal teaching practice
- Demonstrating the impact of CPD on teacher and pupil learning
- Contributing to the school knowledge base
- Supporting performance management
- Developing coaching and mentoring
- Sharing good practice
- Establishing a learning community
- Providing a coherent framework for CPD
- Personalising professional development
