Delivering high quality professional development programmes
The South African Council for Educators (SACE) has an important role to play in ensuring that professional development programmes for teachers and principals are of high quality. The organisation has a pool of independent evaluators who assess these professional development programmes against a list of criteria in the format of an evaluation rubric.
Reaching all learners
On 18-19 July 2017, the evaluators were brought together to review this rubric to ensure that professional development programmes stimulate educators to reach all learners in the classroom and school leaders in their work stations. A recap of the inclusive education policies was done by the Department of Basic Education. Participants then reflected on examples of exclusive practices and turned them into criteria for inclusive education. These criteria were analysed against the profile of an inclusive teacher, using the self-reflection tool for inclusive pedagogy.
Evaluating online programmes
An increasing number of training providers are delivering their professional development programmes online or in the format of blended learning. To respond to this digital change, the evaluation rubric needs to take into account new criteria for evaluating online programmes. The evaluators engaged with a new rubric analysing the characteristics of online training programmes.
And now?
The inputs from the evaluators will be integrated in the two evaluation rubrics. The new versions will then be piloted and finalised. The evaluators appreciated this exercise and acknowledged the need for their continuing professional development in making sure that the country has a catalogue of excellent professional development programmes available.
The workshop was facilitated by SACE and VVOB.
