Minister of Education

This set of learning materials is an important outcome of the Inservice Teacher Education Practice (INSTEP) project, the first project funded by the Ministry of Education specifically aimed at developing a knowledge and evidence base about effective inservice teacher educator practice and learning.

Recent evidence presented in the Teacher Professional Learning and Development: Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration (2007) describes the critical role of external experts, including inservice teacher educators (ISTEs), in effective teacher professional learning and development. The TPLD BES notes that, in the studies it reviewed, the presence of an external expert by itself did not guarantee success and, further, that the skills of the providers and what they did to promote teacher learning were rarely the subject of investigation.

The INSTEP project set out to investigate gaps in our knowledge about effective ISTE practice; these learning materials embody the understandings developed through the research and development activities of the project.

One of the principles underpinning Ki te Aotūroa is that ISTE practice can be said to be effective when it strengthens teachers’ practice in ways that improve outcomes for diverse students. This principle affirms the responsibility we all share as we seek ways to improve outcomes for all students.

I commend this resource to all inservice teacher educators – advisers, facilitators, resource teachers, and in-school leaders of professional learning. The materials reflect the discussion and learning of more than 350 participants in the INSTEP project. They do not provide a recipe for success; rather, they are intended to promote collaborative inquiry and ongoing learning for ISTEs, whether new or long-experienced in their role. I know they will spark further investigation and research.

The Hon. Chris Carter Minister of Education

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