Presentation of a paper: Teacher Educators' Professional Development: An Evaluation Study (original) (raw)

Trainers\u27 perspectives of teacher professional development

2019

Considerable attention in the literature has been given to perspectives of teachers and administrators regarding effectiveness of professional development for teachers. However, there is a paucity of research regarding perspectives of trainers and facilitators of professional development for educators. Thus, this dissertation study focused on trainers’ perspectives on effective professional development. More specifically, the study investigated these research questions: (1) What goals and objectives do trainers set for their professional development sessions?; (2) How do trainers facilitate professional development?; (3) How do trainers know they achieved the goals and objectives of their professional development?; (4a) Why do trainers do what they do and in the manner they do it?; and (4b) Why do they think their approach is effective? This study utilized a qualitative research design, and more particularly a phenomenological approach using semi-structured interviews. The participa...

The professional development of higher education-based teacher educators: needs and realities

Professional Development in Education

Current literature suggests that while teacher educators perform a multitude of complex roles, they receive minimal preparation or possibilities for professional development to fulfil these roles. As a result, they need to acquire relevant knowledge and skills after taking on the position of teacher educators. Therefore, it is important to learn what skills and knowledge teacher educators need and how they acquire such skills and knowledge throughout their career. The purpose of the study is to describe the professional development needs and activities of 61 teacher educators across six national jurisdictions (England, Ireland, Israel, Norway, Scotland, The Netherlands) and to reveal influencing factors and affordances conducive to professional development. Semi-structured interviews constituted questions on professional learning opportunities and teacher education and research. Results from the interviews convey themes around the areas of (i) self-initiated professional development, (ii) the importance of experiencing professional development through collaboration with peers and colleagues, (iii) accessing opportunities to improve teacher education teaching practices and (iv) the inextricable link between teaching and research and consequently the need to upskill in research skills. Discussion points that arise include the induction period, frustration and tension in navigation, haphazard professional learning and learning with, and from, each other.

Teacher professional development in Teaching and Teacher Education over ten years

Teacher professional development a b s t r a c t A review of publications in Teaching and Teacher Education over ten years (2000e2010) on teacher professional development is the subject of the paper. The first part synthesises production referred to learning, facilitation and collaboration, factors influencing professional development, effectiveness of professional development and issues around the themes. The second part, selects from the production nine articles for closer examination. The paper concludes by noting how the production brings out the complexities of teacher professional learning and how research and development have taken cognisance of these factors and provided food for optimism about their effects, although not yet about their sustainability in time.

Professional development of teacher educators: what do they do? Findings from an explorative international study

Professional Development in Education, 2016

The attention being devoted to teacher educators as professionals and their professional development is unquestionably increasing. Whilst much of that attention is being directed at teacher educators in different countries, international comparisons have been quite rare to date. The research question addressed in this study was: 'Do experienced teacher educators from different countries differ in their concerns, professional development activities and developmental goals?' Interviews were conducted with 25 participants from 10 different countries, all of whom were experienced teacher educators. Teacher educators' concerns varied in the course of their careers. During their induction their primary focus tended to be on survival, whereas later on in their careers their concerns became linked to their own professional identity and their students as individuals. Participants from all the participating countries were involved in a range of developmental activities. A large majority was involved in research-related activities which they perceived as an important tool in their professional development. All the participants had plans for their further professional development but sometimes foresaw hindrances to the realisation of those plans, such as a lack of resources and time. The interview data did not provide evidence to suggest clear country-specific differences. In fact, the opposite would appear to be the case: teacher educators from different countries seem to have similar concerns, and their current professional development activities and plans for future development are also quite comparable.

Teacher educators’ professional development in Flanders : practitioner research as a promising strategy

2016

The goal of this article is to explore a Flemish intervention designed to support teacher educators’ professional development in general, and teacher educators’ role as researchers in particular. First, the article briefly describes how teacher educators’ professional development in Flanders (Belgium) is currently organised, and elaborates on the relevance of practitioner research to support teacher educators’ professional development (conceptualised as the development of a researcherly disposition). Then the results of an explorative qualitative study are presented. In particular, 16 institution-based Flemish teacher educators participated in a six-month intervention on practitioner research specifically designed to support their professional development. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to advance insight into the impact of the intervention. The findings suggest positive changes in teacher educators’ practice and professional development; and show the potential of individ...

Teacher Professional Development: Perspectives from a Research Experience with Teachers

Revista Electrónica Educare

Objective. To analyze the scope of realization of professional learning communities with teachers and management teams who implemented that intervention during two years in a high school in the south of Chile. Methodology. In this applied research, teachers participated in phases of diagnosis of training needs for professional development. Based on this, a proposal of work sessions theoretically and methodologically linked to the professional learning communities was structured. The proposal was designed and implemented together with the school’s management team. After the implementation, the study followed with qualitative interviews and focal groups about the experience conducted with 17 participants; these instances were analyzed by thematic analysis following the phenomenological approach. Analysis of Results. The analyses allowed the emergence of three elements related to professional learning and agency capacity. It was especially evident that teachers recognized their capacit...

Challenges in school-based teacher professional development

Gláuks - Revista de Letras e Artes

Teacher education has a long tradition of prescriptive curriculum-based and skills-centered models that convey simplistic conceptualisations of teacher learning. Only recently, this trend has shifted towards promoting teachers' agency in their own professional development. In this work, we reflected on the challenges faced ?while building one partnership based on teachers' inquiry during and over the pandemic. The intervention was targeted to promote classroom dialogue and should have employed the use of video recordings to capture and analyze teachers' practice. The main point addressed here was the teachers' tacit rejection of the video recording and the building of a new tool. Moreover, the cordial culture among teachers and researchers did not offer space for critical reflection on practice. Overall, despite the school leadership being willing and committed to the ?programme, the implementation revealed how the schooling system does not value or ?create condition...

Teachers and their professional development

2017

This article addresses the problem of professional development of teachers. It is important to improve the professional development of teachers in a long perspective. It impacts not only the improvement of their professional knowledge but also stimulates students by building the climate of a "learning" organization; therefore, it supports not only students but also the whole school's community. The study focused on the relation between teachers' approach and their professional development. There were 85 subjects who participated in the in the questionnaire survey. They were deliberately selected and took part in an annual course on Educational leadership. The main focus was on teachers and their work values, especially on what influences their decision making process as to participation in various forms of professional development. Also, what are their attitudes towards learning now and in the future. The study also used the GSES (The Self-Efficacy Scale) tool for ...