Thorn Learning supports the British Council’s Teacher Educator Community (TEC), coordinating online professional learning opportunities, communities of practice and certification processes that help teacher educators learn, collaborate and build capacity across diverse global contexts.
Project overview
The Teacher Educator Community (TEC) brings together teacher educators engaged in British Council programmes through online courses, communities of practice and collaborative professional learning opportunities. Thorn Learning supports the coordination, delivery and development of this global network, helping teacher educators access high-quality learning pathways, exchange ideas and develop their professional expertise.
The programme supports a range of initiatives including Understanding Teacher Professional Development (UTPD), the Assured Certificate in Teacher Education (ACTE), Community of Practice Leader Support (CoP LS), Learning Pathways into ACTE (LPACTE) and specialist Groups on Demand.
Working closely with the Teacher Development Lead, Teacher Educator Community Platform Lead and country-based programme teams, Thorn Learning helps ensure that learning opportunities remain accessible, collaborative and relevant to teacher educators working in a wide variety of educational contexts.
How we worked with the client
Şirin Soyöz Yılmaz works closely with the British Council’s Teacher Development team to coordinate community activity, support engagement leads, manage certification processes and contribute to the ongoing development of teacher educator learning opportunities.
The project involves:
- Coordinating online communities and learning groups for teacher educators.
- Supporting participants across TEC learning pathways and programmes.
- Managing certification and digital credential processes.
- Contributing to annual delivery planning and operational documentation.
- Supporting the recruitment, induction and development of Engagement Leads.
- Facilitating specialist Communities of Practice.
- Supporting course delivery, quality assurance and evaluation activities.
- Collecting and analysing participation and feedback data.
- Producing reports, infographics and programme insights.
- Collaborating with stakeholders across multiple regions and programme teams.
The project combines community coordination, teacher educator development, quality assurance and programme management to support the professional growth of teacher educators worldwide.
Services and standards
Community coordination, teacher educator development, programme management, quality assurance, facilitation, mentoring, reporting and monitoring and evaluation.
Supporting safe, inclusive and gender-sensitive professional learning environments for globally distributed teacher educator communities.
Maintaining alignment with the British Council’s CPD frameworks for teachers and teacher educators and established quality standards for professional development.
Main outputs
- Coordination of Teacher Educator Community groups and learning pathways.
- Administration of certification and digital credential processes.
- Annual delivery plans, schedules and operational documentation.
- Orientation programmes and support materials for Engagement Leads.
- Facilitation of two specialist Groups on Demand Communities of Practice.
- Recruitment, support and performance development activities for Engagement Leads.
- Monitoring, evaluation and learning activities across TEC programmes.
- Quarterly and annual programme reports.
- Year-end infographic summarising community and programme impact.
Learn more
Teacher educator professional development
Team and contributors
Teacher Educator Community Coordinator: Şirin Soyöz Yılmaz
