Summary

In 2017, New Zealand Year 7-10 teachers engaged more frequently in exchange and co-ordination activities than in deeper forms of collaboration. Regular participation in collaborative professional development had declined between 2014 and 2017. Most teachers reported positively on collegiality in their school. Teachers’ self-confidence was positively associated with more frequent professional collaboration, but job satisfaction was more strongly associated with a positive collegial climate.

Key Findings

Over half of New Zealand Year 7-10 teachers engaged in exchange and co-ordination activities at least once a month. They spent on average 3.6 hours per week on team work and dialogue with their colleagues, higher than the OECD averages.

Deeper forms of collaboration were less frequent than exchange and co-ordination activities. Joint teaching and collaborative professional development was more frequent in primary and intermediate schools than in secondary and composite schools. Collaborative professional development was more frequent among teachers whose school belonged to a Kāhui Ako.

Over three-quarters of teachers reported positive interpersonal relationships with their colleagues. Teachers in primary and intermediate schools were more positive about collegiality in their school than those in secondary or composite schools.

Teachers’ self-efficacy is positively associated with more frequent professional collaboration, but job satisfaction is more strongly associated with a positive collegial climate.