A new approach to evaluating the mindset of teachers and their professionalism and how it might be evaluated. Taken from a series of 'behaviours in action' rather than a simple list of 'can do' competences, the Paper gives a different approach to describing the confidence of a professional teacher. The use of verbs to describe confidence allows teachers to use their unique circumstances and evidence to demonstrate their professionalism.

1. Meta-skills for teachers
Higher level thinking mindsets for teachers
Introduction
In order to characterise this sense of a new teacher mind-set based on confidence in the
use of e-learning, we see the emergence of enquiring minds, where curiosity of what is
possible, brought about from personal and professional experiences, replaces the fear of
error and confusion in using technology to promote effective teaching and learning.
Often the journey is undertaken with learners and always with colleagues.
The value of this approach is that teachers can take any activity, from formal training to
critical reading and reflection, to classroom incidents and use it as evidence where they
are able to hang the evidence on one of more of the ‘hooks’ below. By building this over
time, it gives a sense of direction and application. The evidence will show how
contemporary practice is and the type of evidence will change over time as practice
develops. The quality of development is evaluated by the quality of the evidence and the
degree of contemporary or innovative practice described and reflected on. The selective
sharing allows further support and insight from colleagues in college and elsewhere.
The meta skills are future-proof in the medium term because they remain the same
regardless how technology and practices develop at rapid speed.
Centrality of Confidence in practice
Each of the thinking skills is a component of overall confidence in using technology in
teaching and learning. This is because:
1. Confidence is important as an indicator of professional involvement with technology-
in-action because every teacher develops their potential to be more effective as part of
the larger developing teaching body.
2. A developing teaching body is one that recognises the constant challenge of the new
and with the imagination to apply the properties of technology to purposeful and
effective teaching and learning.
3. A developed teaching body is one that tackles this with confidence.
4. A confident teaching body is one that is curious rather than fearful about the
challenges new technologies may bring to teaching and learning.
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2. Meta-skills for teachers
Higher level thinking Illustration
1 Drive to think & work flexibly The ability to use course design in different ways than
originally covered in training or the Manual. Making
design bring learning to life. Personalising learning
through the use of technology
2 Ability to adapt technology to
purposeful pedagogy
The ability to make technology genuinely contribute
to learning for learners rather than seeing technology
as an end in itself. This includes widening
participation, increasing retention, particularly
amongst hard-to-reach learners
3 Vision to create imaginative
blended learning design
Learning and demonstrating the skill of redesigning
teaching and learning by blending in technology to
other forms and methods of teaching and learning.
This refers to skills developed through practice and
engagement with peers and learners rather than in
formal sessions or using formal learning resources
4 Curiosity to involve learners in
curriculum delivery & design
Involving students in the design and personalising of
learning. Working with students in course design.
Involving students in the experience of learning in the
widest sense
5 Imagination to develop future
learning plans
Fostering students to develop management of their
own journey, to account for their learning and plan
future learning. Improving the tutorial process,
making learning more relevant to the needs of each
individual learner
6 Desire to account for personal and
purposeful effectiveness
Using critical thinking to develop the skills of
reflective learning. Capturing ideas in developing
professionalism. Developing professional
accountability
7 Capacity to develop collaborative
and cooperative working
To look across and out of the organisation to work
with and for other teachers. An open mindedness.
Working adaptively to accommodate the ideas of
others. Assimilation of the best ideas.
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