A systemic approach to teacher professional learning (TPL) for inclusion identifies the main challenges at different levels of the inclusive education ecosystem. From a systemic perspective, TPL for inclusion is an essential part of inclusive education system development.
At the national/regional level, educational policies must focus on meeting all learners’ needs and promote a deeper understanding of diversity in TPL for inclusion. Moreover, TPL policies need to bridge the gaps between different TPL phases.
At the community level, collaboration between school-based teachers and teacher educators in universities and colleges offers a wide range of TPL for inclusion opportunities. Collaboration between schools and local authorities requires an alignment of policy vision, school strategic plans and teachers’ professional learning needs.
At the school level, policies for beginning and experienced teachers and for other staff with different qualifications and roles must support collaborative TPL opportunities, including for school-based teacher educators, such as mentoring teachers and school leaders.
At the individual level, teachers need policies that offer the core values and competences to meet all learners’ needs, ensure the availability of TPL for inclusion opportunities and enable teachers to follow flexible and adaptable professional learning paths.
This was a main finding of phase 1 of the Teacher Professional Learning for Inclusion project, outlined in the Final Summary Report. For more information on this project, visit the project web area.