The TL21 Professional Development Programme: Main Features

  • The TL21 Programme is a workshop based CPD programme that promotes innovative practice and professional learning communities in post-primary schools. It arose from the success of the initiatives pioneered by the TL21 Research & Development project 2003-07 and the TL21 Transfer Initiative 2008-12 (both funded by Atlantic Philanthropies).
  • From the start, the two major aims of the TL21 research have been: (a) to strengthen teachers’ capacities as co-operative and self-critical authors of their own work; (b) to enable students to take an active and responsible part in their own learning.  
  • The programme is currently running as a partnership between Maynooth University and 10 Education Support Centres. In the 2021-2023 cycle 70+ schools and 400+ teachers and senior school leaders are actively involved. A new cycle of the programme (2023-2025) will begin in September 2023.
  • Participants in the programme attend a series of professional learning workshops in an Education Support Centre, or school venue, over a two-year period and progressively develop their capabilities as innovative practitioners over this period.   
  • The active involvement of the school leadership (Principal and/or DP) is a requirement of a school’s participation. Our research has consistently shown that this is crucial in cultivating the school’s strengths in educational leadership and self-evaluation. 
  • The programme is co-funded by the Department of Education, Maynooth University and the Education Support Centres. That means there is no charge to schools for participation. 
  • The research dimension of the TL21 model ensures that programme is research-informed, as recommended by EU Commission and OECD; but research-informed in a highly practical sense. The programme brings together key insights from international educational research with the action research initiatives of Irish teachers and school leaders to enrich the quality of learning and teaching in participating schools.
  • The Department of Education commissioned an independent external review of the TL21 programme.  Conducted by Professor Gary Granville the report Partners for Progress: A Review of Teaching and Learning for the 21st Century TL21 was published in June 2019. It highlighted the “demonstrable impact of TL21” and its “national and international significance … with implications for education practitioners, policy-makers and researchers in Ireland and elsewhere …”
  • The TL21 programme aligns with the Teaching Council Cosán policy which offers an important supportive national framework that can further support and encourage teachers in this endeavour. 
  • Finally, the TL21 Programme seeks to embody and extend one of the central aims of the kind of research carried out at the Education Department at the National University of Ireland Maynooth: the enhancement of learning environments in schools through strengthening the capacities of teacher practitioners and school leadership

An Clár Forbartha Gairmiúla TL21: Príomhghnéithe

  • Is clár Forbartha Gairmiúla Leanúnaigh ceardlann-bhunaithe do mhúinteoirí agus ceannairí scoile é an Clár TL21 a chuireann cleachtas nuálach agus pobail fhoghlama gairmiúla chun cinn in iarbhunscoileanna. D’eascair sé ón rath ar thionscnaimh a bhí curtha ar bun den chéad uair ag an tionscadal Taighde agus Forbartha TL21 2003-07 agus ag an Tionscanamh Aistrithe TL21 2008-12 (an dá cheann maoinithe ag Atlantic Philanthropies). 
  • Bíonn rannpháirtithe sa chlár ag freastal ar shraith de cheardlanna FGL in Ionad Tacaíochta Oideachais thar thréimhse de dhá bhliain agus ag forbairt a gcumas mar chleachtóirí nuálacha diaidh ar ndiaidh thar an tréimhse seo. Ón tús ar fad, is iad an dá phríomhchuspóir atá ag an taighde TL21 ná: (a) chun cumas na múinteoirí a neartú mar údair chomhoibríocha agus fhéin-chriticiúla ar a gcuid oibre féin; (b) chun daltaí a chumasú go nglacfaidh siad páirt ghníomhach agus fhreagrach ina gcuid foghlama féin.
  • Tá rannpháirtíocht ghníomhach cheannaireacht na scoile (Príomhoide agus/nó Leas-Phríomhoide) ag teastáil chun go mbeadh an scoil féin rannpháirteach. Tá sé tar éis bheith léirithe ag ár dtaighde go bhfuil sé seo fíor-thábhachtach chun láidreachtaí na scoile a chothú maidir le ceannaireacht oideachais agus féin-mheasúnú.
  • Tá an clár comh-mhaoinithe ag an Roinn Oideachais, Ollscoil Mhá Nuad agus ag na hIonaid Tacaíochta Oideachais. Ciallaíonn sé seo nach mbíonn táille gearrtha ar scoileanna as bheith rannpháirteach ann.
  • Ciallaíonn an ghné thaighde den mhúnla TL21 go mbaineann an Fhorbairt Ghairmiúil Leanúnach le taighde, mar atá molta ag Coimisiún na hEorpa agus ag an ECFE; ach go mbaineann sé leis an taighde ar bhealach atá thar a bheith praiticiúil. Tugann an tionscadal léargais thábhachtacha ó thaighde oideachais idirnáisiúnta le chéile leis na tionscnaimh thaighde ghníomhaíochta do mhúinteoirí na hÉireann agus do cheannairí scoile chun caighdeán na foghlama agus an teagaisc sna scoileanna rannpháirteacha a shaibhriú.
  • Tá athbhreithniú seachtrach neamhspleách tar éis bheith coimisiúnaithe ag an gclár TL21. Stiúrtha ag an Ollamh Gary Granville foilsíodh an tuairisc Partners for Progress: A Review of Teaching and Learning for the 21st Century TL21 i mí an Mheithimh 2019. Thug sé chun solais “tionchar soiléir TL21” agus an “tábhacht náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta a bhaineann leis … le torthaí ann do chleachtóirí oideachais, déantóirí polasaí agus taighdeoirí in Éirinn agus i gcéin …”
  • Tagann an clár TL21 leis an bpolasaí Cosán de chuid na Comhairle Múinteoireachta a chuireann creat tacaíochta náisiúnta tábhachtach ar fáil chun tacú le múinteoirí agus chun iad a spreagadh san iarracht seo.
  • Ar deireadh, ba mhaith leis an gClár TL21 ceann de na príomhchuspóirí atá ag an gcineál seo taighde ag Roinn an Oideachas in Ollscoil Mhá Nuad a chorprú agus a leathnú amach: timpeallachtaí foghlama a fheabhsú i scoileanna trí chumas na gcleachtóirí múinteoireachta agus cheannaireacht na scoileanna a neartú.