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Empathy is a form of perception in which individuals access the perspectives of others about the world in order to build knowledge about it. It is also a source of self-knowledge because, as a con- sequence of learning how others see us, we can regulate and refine how we see ourselves. Empathy is, therefore, an important capacity through which social cohesion is created. The aim of this paper is to consider the role of professional empathy between teachers when they engage in collective professional development activities, recognising that fear of the critical gaze and the potential for shame can inhibit participation. In order to do this, phenomenological ideas in relation to the formation of social bonds and empathy are explored. Ideas of professional visibility as a form of vulnerability are also examined. This paper explores the importance of professional empathy then posits the need for it to promote effective collective teacher development. A framework for enabling a culture of professional empathy in support of teacher professional growth is offered that highlights the need for three simultaneous forms of engagement; the collective, the interpersonal and the individual.

In discussions of the regulation of teaching, there are a number of issues which arise concerning how teachers understand the professional expectations upon them and the role that such standards play in supporting and maintaining the ethical dimensions of teachers' practice. Arguably, teachers' professional standards evolve to meet the needs of the societies in which they exist. Consequently, they provide a locus for analysis of the desires, aspirations and philosophical perspectives of the social and educational systems to which they belong. Durkheim's ideas about professional ethics provide a means of making sense of the complex and varied landscape of teacher regulation. They provide a way of seeing teacher professional standards as not constrained by neoliberal conceptions of regulation in which the fear of sanction may limit imaginative engagement with the profession. Instead, even within highly managerial systems, we begin to see professional standards as a prompt to engaged and ethical action for the greater good. In this sense, Durkheim's work facilitates a way of seeing professional standards as having the capacity to magnify teachers' innate potential for positive social impact regardless of the context in which they work.

In the design and development of new school buildings, areas equipped with state-of-the-art technology and large, flexible spaces intended for collaborative teaching and learning are becoming increasingly common. This is in line with an understanding that this kind of learning environment reflects the contexts for work young learners are likely to meet and that such contexts enhance their learning experiences. By exploring teachers' thinking about the Inspiring Learning Space created in one school in Scotland, this paper explores how the space has invited teachers to consider their pedagogies in new ways, as well as some of the obstacles that have problematised their use of the space. Findings show that one of the key successes of the space has been in raising consciousness amongst teachers in relation to the ambitions and expectations of a skills-focussed curriculum, whilst allowing those who have chosen to use the space to explore the most meaningful and effective ways to engage learners there.

This paper argues in favour of the beneficial currency of Thomas Carlyle's "On Heroes, Hero-worship and the Heroic in History" in three ways, each of which finds the basis of its critique in aspects of Foucault's theories of discursive practice, as explored in Foucault's theories of historical discourse; 1) that Carlyle's terminology connects with his discursive practice in an ambiguous manner, as his concept of worship is more akin to study than devotion, if we take the text of his lectures as evidence of his perception; 2) the sources of enlightenment Carlyle offers us, based on these studies of heroic individuals, may provide an exemplar for interdisciplinary scholarship centred around biographies of notable individuals, and finally; 3) we challenge the notion that heroes such as those Carlyle offers us can be manifest in the present and argue that the depth of insight Carlyle demonstrates into his subjects is only possible by means of a lengthy temporal transition: the historicity of these narratives, and the narratives of social codification, cultural development and long-term impact witnessed and described over generations, is what makes them feasible at all.

The digital pivot of 2020-21, which moved teacher education online, created a catalyst for teacher educators to develop their digital literacies. This paper reports on a Collaborative Inquiry which sought to examine the factors which influenced teacher educators' digital skills during this time. Additionally, this paper aims to address the need for research on digital technology in teacher education, as previous studies have reported that some student-teachers feel ill prepared to engage with digital technology in their practice. In seeking to examine the factors which influence the development of teacher educators' engagement with digital technology, this research adds to knowledge and understanding in this area, informing professional learning provision for teacher educators with digital technologies. The Technology Pedagogy and Content Knowledge (TPACK) model was used to examine the ways in which teacher educators were influenced in their practice and what impact this had on their experience. Analysis highlighted how the positioning of teacher educators within the framework influenced their experience of teaching online. The lived experiences of teacher educators when using technology for teaching online moved beyond their understanding of content, pedagogy, and technology, and highlighted the importance of context. Relationships, wellbeing, and emotional factors influenced engagement with digital technology as it mediated social practices. The findings add to knowledge and understanding of teacher educators' engagement with digital technology and have implications for professional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy cycles are initiated via a variety of context-bound causal drivers. In situations where systemic reform is desired, agenda-setting is vital to this process. This paper examines ‘The National Discussion on Scottish Education’, which was a sequence of stakeholder engagements promoted as a listening exercise to enable policy agenda-setting for a period of education reform. By considering key elements of the context of education reform in Scotland, the design of the stakeholder engagement process, the published outcome of the process, and by reflecting on the purposes underpinning these, this paper examines the conceptual bases upon which the National Discussion and the Vision Statement that arose from it were founded. The intention to create a vision that was both consensual and compelling was challenging to realise in practice. However, the focus on communitarian values evinced through the Vision Statement offers a helpful orientation for future policymaking and professional practice in education, suggesting the important interrelationship between vision and values for agenda-setting in policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]