Annual Poster Conference Returns to Preston College for Teacher Trainees

Wednesday 17 April 2024 saw our Year 2 trainee teachers and professionals working in the Further Education and Skills/Post 14 sector, come together at the Annual Academic Poster Conference, which was hosted at Preston College.

The conference was held in the Chill Zone, where trainees presented their posters on a contemporary issue. They engaged in discussions, answered questions, and noted feedback from external and internal colleagues including; the Head of HR, Vice Principals, Heads of Schools, Curriculum Leaders, Mentors and Lecturers. The work was displayed in a gallery style on artist’s easels.

At the conference, trainee teachers described the strategies adopted by the teaching sector as a response to factors relating to the identified topics; constraints, opportunities and innovations, highlighting the strengths and limitations to responses made and suggesting realistic recommendations for teachers to adapt their practices to ensure a quality experience for all learners.

The annual event aims to bring together trainee teachers and professionals working in the Further Education and Skills Post/14 sector to think about and respond to current challenges and concerns, and contribute to the discourse around the teaching profession.

Topic areas included:

Sustainability, inclusivity, rules and regulations in counselling, ways to improve SEND outcomes, decolonisation of curriculum, adaptive teaching, digital skills, artificial intelligence and levelling up. The trainees themselves shone brightly, taking full advantage of this unique opportunity and experience, sharing their perspective and making a case for change.

The evening drew to a close with trainees recommending best practice techniques for teachers to adopt to ensure quality of experience for all learners and their progress.

Event organiser and PGCE Lecturer, Tammara Lindsay said, “The trainees themselves shone brightly, taking full advantage of this unique opportunity to ‘perch upon their academic soap boxes,’ critically analyse an issue, share their perspective and make a case for change. The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive, a clear reflection of the Year 2 trainees’ hard work, research and passion for their topics.

The event was a great success, there was a definite buzz in the air. ”

For more information about our PGCE & Cert Ed courses click here.