Curricular and policy-oriented reform as translated within teacher education : the Maltese journey

Abstract

National reforms to improve learning and system-wide decisions related to the preparation and continuing development of teachers have vital, long-term consequences. Teacher education often finds itself at the crossroads of educational reform and policy mandates. National pressures and initiatives provide opportunities for teacher educators to influence policy and provide input into the future of our profession. However, the impact of policy on the teacher education reform agenda sometimes sends the teaching profession into a reactive mode. This chapter focuses on educational change in Malta, which has been brought about by reform efforts in the last few years, and its impact on teaching and learning within schools, consequently bringing about a necessary transformation in teacher education provision. It starts with an account of the history and the background of Maltese educational reform and explains how the most notable reforms, like the introduction of the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), place a number of expectations on the way teachers direct their instructional practices. It also attempts to explore the personal, social, and context-related factors that influence Maltese teachers in addressing and implementing these changes, as interpreted through a symbolic interaction lens. This perspective helps to provide insights into the challenges that teachers are experiencing as a result, and how they are coping with these changes. Although this discussion is focused on the Maltese context and does not present any findings, it aims to raise important issues that are relevant to the broader international context.