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Dr Martin Hoskin

Teaching Fellow, University of Portsmouth

Research Bio

Leading Educational Change and Improvement from the Ground Up

My completed PhD research focuses on educational improvement, teacher agency, and the transformative potential of CPD within the Further Education (FE) sector. My thesis, “Leading Educational Change and Improvement from the Ground Up,” investigated the impact of systematically empowering teacher agency on professional development and educational practices.

This study explored practitioners’ lived experiences, examining how CPD can meet both individual practitioner needs and organisational priorities. Key research questions addressed how gamification influences practitioner motivation, how teachers' narratives reveal enactments of agency, and how CPD structures can foster genuine professional growth. Drawing upon the concept of teacher agency and a critique of data-driven education, my research contests the risk-averse, metrics-focused culture that often stifles innovation in FE.

The study identifies two models of CPD that support a practitioner-led approach to educational improvement: (1) Lesson Visits (observations) as a reflective tool for teaching observation, and (2) a combined model of Lesson Visits, College Projects, and Collaborative Teaching as an overall model of CPD.

Findings emphasise that effective CPD must be practice-focused, context-sensitive, and embedded within a supportive educational culture, allowing educators a meaningful role in shaping their professional learning. These models are not prescriptive “blueprints” but rather adaptable frameworks to suit various educational contexts.

This research underscores the importance of collaborative, context-driven approaches to educational improvement. It contributes practical insights into structuring CPD that aligns with both organisational goals and practitioner development, emphasising that educational advancement is most effective as a shared, context-specific endeavour.

Dr Martin Hoskin

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