Since its first appearance in 1965, the Scottish edition of the Times Educational Supplement, now Tes, has undergone various changes of format. What has remained constant is that the magazine has served as an important source of news, analysis and special features for teachers in different sectors of the education system. That will continue to be the case as Tes Scotland moves forward to an online-only publication, reflecting changes in technology and patterns of readership.
I started writing for the magazine in the 1970s and recall my delight when my first, modest efforts were accepted for publication. Later, I was invited to write a regular column. I was happy to agree, for two reasons.
Firstly, I saw it as an opportunity to communicate with classroom teachers about issues that affected their daily work - new policies, bureaucratic demands, changes in curriculum, assessment and pedagogy. Over the past two decades, as Curriculum for Excellence was being developed and implemented, there has never been any shortage of material.
And secondly, I felt that having to produce text of specified length by a fixed deadline would be good for me as a writer. The dense, abstract conventions of academic papers would have to be set aside in favour of a much more direct and accessible form of composition. I stopped short of including visual material to accompany my text, though sometimes the editor added a mischievous cartoon to illustrate my words of wisdom.
Tes Scotland has had an online presence for some time, supplementing the print version, so the switch to digital-only is not a venture into the unknown. While the loss of a tangible product will be regretted by some, and its absence from staffrooms will leave a gap, there will be compensations. News can be reported as it happens, more stories and features can be accommodated on the website and the rich possibilities of novel forms of presentation can be exploited.
We have all had to adapt to a world where mobile phones, tablets and other devices are the principal means of communication. Even oldies like me have become moderately adept at participating in Zoom calls, though I continue to resist the appeal of the most popular social networking sites.
Print has served us very well since William Caxton introduced the first printing press in 1476, and will continue to do so for many purposes, but it would be Luddite to fail in taking advantage of the opportunities presented to us by the digital world.
What must be retained, however, is the independent perspective that Tes Scotland represents. Tes Scotland is different from other publications aimed at Scottish teachers: it has a broader canvas and an independent, critical voice not found elsewhere. As well as the fair and balanced reporting by journalists, the magazine provides a platform for a wide range of contributors with diverse aims: to celebrate the achievements of young people; to report on innovative programmes; to highlight issues of concern; to give a voice to marginalised groups; and to challenge policymakers to explain and justify their proposals. This is an important democratic function, particularly at a time when the mainstream press is struggling to retain readers and is no longer regarded as a reliable guide to political events. As the credibility of many institutions declines, educators must continue to proclaim the values of knowledge and truth.
Looking to the future of Scottish education, and topics that the new-format Tes Scotland might wish to explore, the balance between online learning and more traditional forms of pedagogy is likely to remain high on the agenda as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic continues to be felt. This is an interesting example of the way reform has been stimulated by an unanticipated external event, rather than by a decision initiated within the educational policy community.
In 2022, we will also see reactions to the review being conducted by Ken Muir following the Scottish government’s decision to replace the Scottish Qualifications Authority, to reform Education Scotland and to re-establish Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education as an independent agency. The consultation exercise conducted as part of this review has attracted many responses and there seems to be an appetite for change. Shirley-Anne Somerville, cabinet secretary for education and skills, has indicated that she is open to “bold” proposals, but it can be anticipated that there will resistance by parts of the system that may face a reduced role or a diminution of power.
In any case, structural reform on its own will not address some of the deep-rooted cultural issues facing Scottish education. Teachers have shown impressive dedication and resilience in responding to the challenges of the past two years, but there is still work to be done in restoring the trust and confidence of the profession in senior officials and political leaders. Translating the discourse of “empowerment” into reality will not be easy and will take time.
Tes Scotland journalists have served Scottish education very well in their coverage of developments in recent years. I am sure readers will want to join with me in wishing them continuing success as the magazine moves forward to a new chapter in its history. There will be plenty for them to write about.
Walter Humes has been a professor of education in several Scottish universities. His publications include work on leadership and management, teacher education, history of education and policy analysis. He is co-editor of Scottish Education, and a member of the expert panel on the Muir review on education reform that is due to report in early 2022
