Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The purpose of this study was to collect information about the conditions, opportunities, problems and needs of teachers at the beginning of their career and to assist in the development of services to them. <i>National Survey of Teachers in Their First Year of Service, 1966-1967</i> (SN:66031,66032,66033,67032,67033) This group of surveys serves both as a demographic study of probationary teachers and as a longitudinal study in which characteristics of the teachers at the beginning and at the end of the year were related to each other and to characteristics of the school and of the employing authority. It covers seven main areas: probationary background and training; their distribution; appointment and placement; in-service guidance; probationers in the classroom; in the school community; outside school; and career intentions. Arising from findings of this group of surveys, a further research and development project was undertaken by the University of Bristol to investigate the needs, problems, and advantages associated with the mounting of in-service courses for probationers. The data from this project are held as SN:14 <i>Probationary Teachers, 1968-1969</i> and SN:15 <i>Probationary Teachers, 1969-1970</i>. The phasing of the enquiry followed the timetable: Spring 1966: Survey of Directors of Education in the 162 LEA's in England and Wales (SN:66031) June 1966: Survey of Head Teachers (SN:66032) Sept 1966: First survey of probationers (SN:66033) March 1967: Oral interviews with sub-sample of probationers (SN:67032) May 1967: Follow-up questionnaire to probationers who responded to first questionnaire (SN:67033) SN:14 includes two questionnaires (A1 and B1) distributed to probationers in one rural and three urban areas in July 1969. These probationers had completed their probationary year and had experienced only traditional forms of in-service guidance; they formed a control group for the project. SN:15 includes nine questionnaires, distributed between September 1969 and July 1970 in conjunction with a series of project-organized induction courses and discussion meetings. The questionnaires were administered according to the following timetable: Sept 1969: Questionnaire A2 and B2 to all probationers Sept-Oct 1969: Questionnaire C1 to those attending induction conference Oct-Dec 1969: Questionnaire C2 to those attending discussion meetings Jan-June 1970: Questionnaire C3 to those at optional topics courses July 1970: Questionnaire C4 to those at overview conference July 1970: Questionnaire C5 to all probationers July 1970: Questionnaire A3 to all probationers (Questionnaire A1, A2 and A3 were essentially identical, B1, B2 and B3 completely identical.) The questionnaires therefore measured both response to various course programmes and discussion meetings, and the overall effect of such courses on the professional judgements, opinions and actions of probationary teachers.
Main Topics:
Attitudinal/Behavioural Questions In this follow-up questionnaire sent to teachers nearing the end of their probationary year (see SN:66033 for first questionnaire), information was collected in six categories: 1. Training Background: after two introductory questions on whether the probationer has had any teaching practice in the type of school in which now teaching and whether an opportunity found to discuss progress or career with a tutor either from own College or from a local College, a series of questions establishes in fine detail the respondent's views of training in the light of new experience of teaching, concerning, for example, the proportion of time spent on various subjects (dealing with both subject content at student level and with subject teaching methods and student learning processes) and on teaching practice work; the various aspects of the general life and atmosphere of the training college or department which are felt to have helped or hindered the settling-down process during the present year, and overall opinion on training he received for becoming a teacher with suggestions for ways in which it might be improved. 2. Appointment and Placement: whether LEA was first, second or third choice; whether probationer has changed schools during present year or intends to change within next two years, plus reasons for such changes. 3. Guidance for Teachers in Their First Year of Service: whether respondent has been invited to, and has attended, any induction course or meeting specifically arranged for probationary teachers; whether respondent is aware of, has attended or plans to attend any courses for teachers in general in the area; whether probationer has met or been visited in school by any Local Authority Inspector or Adviser, or the HMI for the district, and whether respondent is aware of the way in which own progress is being assessed and to whom, and in what form this assessment will be reported at the end of the year. The probationers are also asked which areas, from a given list of 13 areas, they have discussed or would like to discuss with a Local Adviser, Inspector or HMI or would like to discuss with someone outside school who is not one of these officials. 4. Teaching Data: any changes in size, age-level or ability-level, age-range, ability-range or time-table content of probationer's class/es during probationary year; reason for such changes; ways in which, and reasons why, probationer has changed approach to teaching since beginning of probationary year from a list of 8 possible changes; whether respondent is now more or less confident in discipline and relationship with children; and three major problems respondent feels to be particularly relevant to own present situation from a list of 13. 5. School Community: whether respondent feels more at ease with duties and colleagues than at beginning of year; whether contribution to out of school activities has altered in any way; attitude to teaching atmosphere of school; relationship to standards of teaching at school; to staffroom conversation and discussions about work and to teaching methods of colleagues. Respondent is also asked whether opportunity has been available for discussion of work and problems and whether would welcome more or less advice from either officials or unofficial advisors. Probationer is also asked to choose three most important problems (from list of 11) in respect of school community life. 6. Personal Data: number of weeks lost through illness during first term; general state of health compared to previous year; whether changes in health can be attributed to new role as full-time teacher; any full- or part-time work or study respondent is engaged in and nature of this; plans for study towards further professional or academic qualification during next five years; comparison by respondent of own work as teacher with that of friends with equivalent educational background and of same age (in respect of 13 different characteristics - social prestige, security, intellectual stimulation, physical conditions, salary and salary prospects, etc.). Several questions elicit information on the respondent's plans - whether plans to stay in education, job expects to be doing in five year's time, and reasons for either staying in education or moving to a new field. Three major personal problems are chosen from a list of 8 and a final question asks for comments on ways in which respondent feels entry into profession could have been made easier. Background Variables LEA; type of school; sex; marital status; whether spouse or fiance/e is teacher; number of terms of probationary year now completed.
One-stage stratified or systematic random sample
within A) 162 Local Education Authorities and B) 8 school types (infant, secondary technical, secondary comprehensive, other secondary). A 50% sample was drawn by selecting schools possessing an even-ended DES reference number
Postal survey
