Teacher in-service provision in Malta : comparative perspective

Abstract

The in-service education and training (INSET) of teachers refers to those conscious and planned learning initiatives that teachers choose to engage in during the course of their career. The organisation of its provision is very heterogeneous in nature and education systems are increasingly searching for innovative ways which contribute to making this learning process more effective. This research project involves a study of the local provision of INSET, together with a comparative approach to how this is organised within and across other different contexts. Special emphasis is dedicated to four European countries, namely France, Germany, Iceland and Sweden. The way teachers learn and construct their learning experiences shape the theoretical framework of the discussion, which explores issues like teachers' definition of and disposition to INSET and an understanding of how different INSET frameworks are related to their effectiveness. The empirical research conducted in the local context sheds light on how the local authorities are devising policies in this regard and how teachers, and teacher educators, are making sense of these policies. A number of considerations, drawn from this discussion, concern the way INSET provision can be enhanced for future generations of teachers.