Jeanes, Julia; (2021) Learning to become an Art and Design teacher in a College of Further Education in England. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).

Abstract

This thesis investigates the initial professional formation of eight creative practitioners as they learn to become teachers as part of a Higher Education (HE) Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programme in colleges of Further Education (FE) in England. Trajectories of occupational development are conceptualised in the literature as a horizontal interrelation between the individual and the material and social world or as a vertical development of higher levels of knowledge and competence. The interdependencies between the individual, their prior knowledge, and histories as they learn within, and between, the HE curriculum and workplace practice, are underexplored. The methodology of this study involves two strands of investigation. Firstly, written reflections, semi-structured interviews, a focus group discussion and artefacts created by the participants are presented as a narrative account. Secondly, instrumental case studies offer exemplars of learning as a process of self-making in collectively creative activity. The individual experiences of creative practitioners are examined together with the support they receive from mentors, host teachers, colleagues and HE tutors. A thematic analysis of the findings show that individuals actively self-author their trajectories of learning in communities of art and design practice, towards objects of activity. Drawing on the work of Lave and Wenger (1991), Holland and Lave (2001) and Beach (1999; 2003), this thesis argues that creative practitioners internalise the concepts, practices and traditions of art and design communities within the FE workplace, while also co-creating new approaches through collectively creative collaboration. Four key themes were found to characterise the process of self-making in communities of practice, including, learning to think differently about practice; collective reflection to change practice; initiating and responding to change and a changing sense of self. The findings of this study have implications not only for the organisation of ITE programmes in HE for the FE sector but also for professional and vocational education more broadly.

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