‘Nothing will prevent me from doing a good job’: the professionalisation of part‐time teaching staff in further and adult education

J. Jameson, Yvonne Hillier

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Approximately 85,000 part-time teaching staff working in further education (FE) and adult and community learning (ACL) are often seen as 'a problem'. The intrinsic 'part-timeness' of these staff tends to marginalise them, and often they remain under-recognised and largely unsupported. Yet this picture is over-simplified. This article examines how part-time staff make creative use of professional autonomy and agency to mitigate problematic 'casual employment' conditions, reporting on results from Learning and Skills Development Agency-sponsored research (2002-2006) with 700 part-time staff in the learning and skills sector. The question of agency was reported as a key factor in part-time employment. Change is necessary for the professional agency of part-timers to be harnessed as the sector responds to ambitious sectoral 'improvement' agendas following the Foster Report and FE White Paper. Enhanced professionalisation for part-time staff needs greater recognition and inclusion in change agendas.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)39-53
Number of pages15
JournalResearch in Post-Compulsory Education
Volume13
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 20 May 2008

Keywords

  • professionalism
  • part-time staff employment
  • professional autonomy and agency
  • FE and adult community learning
  • learning and skills sector
  • part-timeness

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