Teacher Education for Further Education Staff in Northern Ireland: evaluating a competence‐based approach

The author explains how the mandatory requirement in Northern Ireland for teacher education for lecturers in further education colleges was met by a competence‐based programme devised at the University of Ulster. There is an evaluation of the programme which has been in operation for three years and a presentation of the model of competence which has been introduced to meet the needs of lecturers in the revised programme. The new model seeks to provide opportunities to develop necessary teaching skills while enabling lecturers to progress towards the level of professional autonomy required in the contemporary context of delayered organisations where the ability to manage culture and reconstruct institutional climate are essential attributes for a successful lecturer.