ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to provide an account of case study research which explored the experiences of further education (FE) vocational teachers’ observations as they completed in-service initial teacher training (ITT) programmes in England. The research emerged as a result of my own professional experiences as a teacher trainer and, in particular, my interest in the outcomes of teaching observations. My professional reflections over 25 years as both a college and university-based teacher trainer led me to conclude that the process of observation and, particularly, the feedback opportunities it presented, provided one of the most challenging and engaging aspects of initial training for FE teachers. Yet despite the statutory requirement to observe FE teachers-in-training (2007–13), research exploring FE ITT observations has been negligible to date. Case study research into the use and value of ITT observations for vocational teachers was therefore conducted not only to help rectify this situation, but also to ensure that observation practices are more visible in published research. The recommendations that emerged from the research were aimed at developing practice in relation to the initial training of vocational teachers in colleges and also at generating further understanding of the phenomena of observation itself.
