| Abstract [eng] |
The Impact of the TALIS Surveys on Teacher Education Policy in Lithuania. Emilija Šleiniūtė. Vilnius University. 2023. 106 p. In educational studies, the importance of teacher quality and its influence on student results is particularly emphasized, and national education policy makers also pay a lot of attention to teacher quality and introductory training. When making decisions, the country's education policy guidelines makers analyze the information obtained during the Lithuanian TALIS survey on the country's indicators and evaluate the results while considering changes in the teacher training policy. The purpose of the research: to find out how the results of the TALIS survey affect the formation of teacher training policy in Lithuania. Research methods: analysis of the academic literature, TALIS survey 2008 and 2018 Lithuania results and Lithuanian Teacher Training Regulation law, a semi-structured interview, transcription of interview recordings, qualitative content analysis. After analyzing Lithuania results on TALIS survey that was made in 2008 and 2018, it was found that the country is experiencing an aging of teachers, gender inequality, difficulties in attracting young specialists, a low percentage of teachers' mobility, and a great need for training and digitalisation. The position of the teacher in society was also assessed and problems in the education system were revealed, which educational policy makers are trying to correct through reforms. The analysis of the regulation of the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania on the training of teachers shows that the regulation is gradually changing with the implementation of the conclusions presented in the TALIS surveys. The importance of the TALIS survey for the changes in the teacher training regulation can also be assessed due to the change in the regulation itself, continuous changes are clearly visible in the teacher training and teachers‘ practice improvement. The interview with the representatives of the Lithuanian and Latvian Ministries of Education and Science, responsible for the training of teachers in those countries and the implementation of the TALIS survey, reveals the same attitude of both countries to many issues of interest, especially that the results of the TALIS survey are not used effectively, so there is no point in expanding the survey. Training and mentoring of future teachers in the country is left in the hands of higher education institutions and schools, while the answers of Latvian respondents state that certain norms and standards are provided for the training of teachers. However, as Lithuania mentions, it is not fully understood what benefits mentoring can provide in the effort to attract new teachers, and the sample of the youngest teachers in the survey is relatively small in order to see whether the latest changes in the teacher training policy are beneficial. Certain aspects of Lithuania's internal culture have been singled out, making it clear that the training of teachers does not begin in higher education, but in the environment and established norms surrounding future teachers. The great denigration of the profession by the teachers themselves and their environment also does not contribute to the formation of the profession's prestige in order to make the teaching profession attractive, when Latvian informants avoid such strict communication. In summary, it can be said that TALIS survey has an impact on teacher training policy formation, especially on the legal regulation. However, the survey provides only one of many sources and data to consider in teacher education policy. In other words, the formulation of teacher training policy should not be based only on the results of the TALIS survey, but should also take into account other surveys, the specifics of the country's education system, and the specific needs of the country. |
