Education systems are currently facing significant challenges, related to the need to attract a large number of new teachers and to continue to support teachers already in the system, avoiding early departure.
In addition, the current reality in schools is different, with new teachers arriving, some without the appropriate professional qualifications to carry out their duties, as a result of teacher shortages. The induction programme is therefore essential for them to develop a wide range of competencies and take ownership of the professional culture.
The adoption of field-tested actions, such as the LOOP experiment, makes it possible to effectively guide policies towards access to excellent training programmes that respond to the real needs of teachers and students.
Empowering Education — Effective Induction Policies to Enhance the Teaching Profession in Europe.
Join us in exploring the highlights from the recent Final Conference of the LOOP project, which convened on February 20th. Held at the prestigious Salão Nobre of the Rectory of the Universidade de Lisboa, the conference centered around the theme Empowering Education – Effective Induction Policies to Enhance the Teaching Profession in Europe.
The LOOP Policy Seminar held in Barcelona on February 14, 2024, provided crucial insights into the implementation of mentoring-based induction programs in Catalonia. The attendance of around 25 participants promoted interesting discussions on the recommendations outlined in the Policy Brief.
Here you can find information on project publications, such as the Policy Brief 3 and the White Paper, as well as project activities and meetings, along with highlights from the Final conference in Lisbon, Portugal!
Policy Seminar 3: “Theresults ofthepilotimplementation ofLOOP – Theimpact of a Teachers’ Induction Programme and a Mentors’ Capacity Programme on the teaching profession” Institute of Educational Policy, Greece
With more than 400 attendees (directors of education, teacher advisors, and school headmasters) from the region of Attica, the Institute of Educational Policy held the Policy Seminar 3 entitled “The results of the pilot implementation of LOOP – The impact of a Teachers’ Induction Programme and a Mentors’ Capacity Programme on the teaching profession”, on 16 February 2024.
On February 15th, the 3rd LOOP Educational Policies Seminar was held at the Institute of Education, University of Lisbon, which aimed to present and debate the report «Educational policy recommendations, based on the implementation of mentor training programs and induction programs, based on mentoring».
Institute of Educational Policy and Ministry of Education, Slovenia Republic as partners of the European LOOP project – Empowering Teachers, would like to invite you to participate in the International Educational Policy Webinar of the project, scheduled on February 27, 2024, at 13:00 to 14:00 CET.
This webinar is intended to be a moment to share the knowledge acquired during the LOOP project and to launch a public debate on a set of actions and political conditions necessary for the successful implementation of induction programmes based on mentoring activities.
The webinar explores the main political factors that can contribute to the development and sustainability of solid induction actions, which can help increase the attractiveness of the profession and support teachers by recognising the importance of peer work, taking as reference the LOOP White Paper: Empowering Teachers – Enhancing Teacher Induction through Mentoring Activities.
The LOOP White Paper aims to systematise relevant information about the action carried out in the LOOP project in all the countries of the consortium (Portugal, Spain, Greece, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia), seeking to generate innovation at a systemic and political level, thus contributing to the identification of challenges and the consideration of strategies in the different participating countries.
ADDITIONAL NOTE
LOOP is an experimentation project, which aims to contribute to changing the educational policies that regulate the different stages of the teaching profession, by structuring an induction programme for teachers, based on mentoring, applicable at the beginning of their activity and/or when teachers are facing a new work culture (change of school and/or change of functions).
LOOP Project Announces Successful Completion of Field Trials on Teacher Induction and Mentor’s Capacity Programs and invites you to the Final Conference.
One month ahead of the official closing of the LOOP project, we are thrilled to unveil the outcomes of the field trials focusing on teacher induction and mentor’s capacity programs. The trials were conducted in selected schools across Portugal, Greece, Slovenia, Spain, Croatia, and Italy during the first half of 2023. Leading up to the field trials, a series of events involving a total of 1072 teachers were organized, including the Train the Mentors training course, My Induction Programme workshop, and Info Sessions for Mentors and New Teachers. This resulted in the active participation of 1017 teachers in the field trials.
The key findings from the national events have been synthesized in a comparative report, offering insights into the preparation and execution phases in each partner country. This report will soon be available on the project’s website. The field trials aimed to validate seven hypotheses central to the LOOP project, utilizing tools such as surveys, focus groups, and online interviews.
In the serene and inspiring environment of Planica, Slovenia, known for its natural beauty and tranquility, a significant event recently took place that marked a turning point in the educational landscape of Slovenia. A dissemination workshop was organized, bringing together various professionals from the Ministry of Education. The primary focus of this event was to discuss and strategise the integration of the LOOP project into the Slovene school system.
The workshop in Planica was not just a meeting; it was a breeding ground for ideas, strategies, and collaborative efforts. Professionals from different educational work backgrounds came together, united by a common goal – to effectively implement the LOOP project in a way that it resonates with the needs and aspirations of both teachers and pupils/students.
The LOOP Project – Empowering Teachers’ Personal, Professional, and Social Continuous Development through Innovative Peer-Induction Programmes aims to implement a systemic action that ensures the induction of teachers at the beginning of their professional activity, supported by mentorship, seeking political legitimacy, particularly through the definition of a legal framework suitable for the national contexts of the countries within the consortium (Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece and Italy).
The work carried out as part of the project over the past two years has led to the publication of two Policy Briefs, culminating now in the preparation of this Policy Report 3: On field trials – the impact of a teacher’s induction programme and a mentors’ capacity programme on the teaching profession. This report is a result of Work Package (WP) number 4 «Developing policy recommendations from field activities» of the LOOP project.
Policy Report 3, targeting the same audience as the two previous reports, aims to make known the induction programme and the mentors’ capacity programme’s impact on the teaching profession. It highlights the challenges faced during their implementation, presents the main conclusions drawn from this experience (namely regarding the changes in career opportunities, the motivation of experienced teachers and school principals, and the professional development and motivation of beginning teachers), and provides recommendations that are considered to be of great relevance for decision-making in the context of the future definition and implementation of these programmes.
The objectives of this report are aligned with those of the LOOP project, as they aim to develop the implementation of formal teacher induction programmes and informal practices, as well as mentors’ capacity programmes. These programmes are significant for both facilitating access to the teaching profession and maintaining the quality of its practice.
