Negotiating policy space for teachers' continuing professional development: A view from the higher education institution

This chapter takes as its theme the evolution of teachers’ continuing professional development (CPD) as a policy concern in England from the early 1970s to 2006. It goes on to discuss the implications of different policy conceptions of CPD for the role of higher education institutions as providers of CPD on the one hand and as creators – in partnership with teachers – of knowledge about teaching and learning on the other. The status, or indeed, possible value, of higher education institutions in relation to CPD is explored from the current trend for professional development capacity-building in schools, and the fact that there are numerous CPD ‘providers’ – the higher education institution is but one of many options from which schools (and/or individual teachers) select professional development programmes that are in line with their respective ethos, vision and professional development needs.