Improving PLD for teachers and leaders

Developing the capability of teachers and leaders to deliver a rich and engaging curriculum and meet the learning needs of all students is a priority for both the Ministry of Education and boards of trustees.

Professional learning and development (PLD) supports the idea that our whole system, and everyone in it, needs to learn and improve.

The Ministry of Education is continuing to improve the PLD system so that leaders and teachers have easy access to quality PLD that meets their needs. This work includes implementing new national priorities for locally-focused PLD and a new online system for managing those PLD applications and allocations.

“It’s important that teachers and leaders can access the PLD that supports them with their school inquiries and achievement challenges to meet the needs of their diverse learners,” says Pauline Cleaver, Associate Deputy Secretary Curriculum, Pathways and Progress.  

New national PLD priorities

In September this year the Ministry announced that the national priorities for PLD have been refocused to support teachers and leaders and align with the focus on curriculum, progress and achievement.

New national priorities for English medium settings will focus on cultural capability, local curriculum design, and assessment for learning.

Mātauranga and te reo Māori, marau ā-kura and aromatawai are the new priorities for Māori medium settings.

Digital fluency remains a priority in all schools and kura.

“Engagements with people from right across our education system – through Kōrero Mātauranga and through the Curriculum, Progress and Achievement (CPA) Reference Group – have informed the new priorities,” says Pauline.

The priorities for Māori medium settings reflect the capabilities that whānau, hapū and Iwi have identified for some time as important in the progress within education as Māori.

The new priorities will support teachers and leaders to make sure every student experiences opportunities to learn and progress through a curriculum that values their identity, language and culture, their strengths and aspirations, and those of their whānau.

The Ministry is now working to make sure its systems, processes and PLD providers are ready for the new priorities, which will replace the existing priorities from the beginning of Term 3, 2020.  

More information on the new priorities and the summary of feedback from the engagement earlier this year is on the Education Conversation/Kōrero Mātauranga website.

New online PLD system

A new online system is being developed by the Ministry of Education for schools, kura and Kāhui Ako to use when applying for locally-focused PLD. Work on the system is progressing well and on track for a national go-live in Term 1, 2020.

The new cloud-based application will replace the current manual process of Excel spreadsheets with a single solution for online creation, management and approval of PLD applications.

“We ran rounds of testing in June and September with people who apply for PLD and those who manage those PLD application’s” says Phil Walker, Senior Manager Sector Capability, Pathways and Progres. 

“People were excited about the system and how it can make the whole process smoother, as well as more accurate and reliable.

“We’re now using their valuable feedback and making revisions to the system so it’s as user-friendly as possible.”

“Our testers also told us that it’s important to take the time to get this right. Our next step is running regional pilots that test how well the system works for users in real-life scenarios, including for those who wish to access and use the system in te reo Māori.”

Phased approach

The Ministry is taking a phased approach in developing and implementing the PLD changes. 

“First we’ll be supporting everyone to use the new online system well for when it goes live in Term 1, 2020. We’ll also provide information in Terms 1 and 2 to schools and kura and other PLD network users to get them ready for Term 3 when the new PLD priorities replace the existing ones. This includes helping them develop and submit online their PLD applications for the Term 3 allocation round.”

“We are also planning a programme of support and training for people who will use the system – in schools and kura, in PLD area allocation panels and in our regional offices. This programme of print, online and face-to-face support and resources will start in Term 4, 2019 and run beyond go-live.”

For future updates about the new PLD priorities and the new online PLD system, check the Ministry of Education’s PLD(external link) website.