An evaluation of short Earth Science CPD for trainee primary school teachers

Abstract. The article is derived from a PhD thesis investigating the potential of earth science for the development of primary school science. The evaluation from workshops run by the Earth Science Education Unit for trainee primary teachers was appraised to assess the effectiveness of the short CPD programmes over the period 2009–2015. Trainee teacher comments are analysed using thematic analysis which identified points identified by Guskey as being the most important ideas for effective CPD programmes. Despite these workshops being short, lasting generally less than two hours each, the conclusion reached was that they offered useful teaching ideas, resources and background information which the trainees could and would apply in the classroom.