Showing papers in "Professional Development in Education in 2009"

Reinventing teacher professional norms and identities: the role of lesson study and learning communities

Abstract: The present article addresses how lesson study can facilitate changing traditional norms of individualism, conservatism and presentism that constrain American teachers from learning from one another. The article investigates how lesson study can serve as a vehicle for developing teacher learning communities by developing or redeveloping teachers’ professional identity to include continual improvement. While participating in a learning community, the norm becomes to innovate and inquire in order to learn how to better serve students. In a case‐study mathematics department, teachers involved in lesson study embraced uncertainty; accepting that by researching lessons they did not know what would happen when the lesson was taught, and the process would better inform their future practice. Lesson study put student learning in the centre of the analysis and provided a structure for basing changes on teachers’ professional intent to support students.

Can a Single, Short Continuing Professional Development Workshop Cause Change in the Classroom?.

Abstract: A comparative review of the research literature regarding the effectiveness of continuing professional development (CPD) demonstrates that a range of different factors needs to be present if it is to have impact in the classroom and that short CPD episodes are unlikely to be effective. The Earth Science Education Unit approach to CPD had to be through short‐duration workshops as science teachers were unwilling to undertake prolonged CPD in this relatively minor component of the science curriculum. Follow‐up research on the Earth Science Education Unit approach, using a variant of the framework developed by Guskey, showed that all of the schools that responded had changed their practice, with changes ranging from significant to modest. Meanwhile, self‐reporting evidence showed a highly positive response with increases in knowledge and understanding. The results of the evaluation suggest that short‐duration, well‐structured CPD episodes, based on practical and interactive science teaching ideas, presented t...

Promoting professional inquiry for improved outcomes for students in New Zealand

Abstract: Increasing attention is being paid to professional development as a way to improve outcomes for students but its promise has not always been realised. Broadly speaking, approaches to professional development have either focused on developing better prescriptions for teaching practice or on collaborative reflective inquiry into practice. Neither approach has been particularly effective in achieving substantive improvement in student outcomes. In this paper, a third approach is described, one associated with substantive gains in student achievement on reading comprehension and the deeper features of writing in New Zealand. In essence, teachers are supported to identify their professional learning needs through an analysis of their students’ learning needs, to build their pedagogical content knowledge in sufficient depth to address their students’ learning needs and then to check both formally and informally whether their changed teaching practices are having the desired impact.

Growing the Leadership Talent Pool: Perceptions of Heads, Middle Leaders and Classroom Teachers about Professional Development and Leadership Succession Planning within Their Own Schools.

Abstract: This article reports on outcomes from a study funded by the National College for School Leadership designed to explore the factors that assist in the leadership development of teachers at a number of stages of their career development. More specifically, the study sought to identify issues associated with leadership talent identification, development, succession and retention in contextually different primary and secondary schools in England. In the face of school leadership shortages in the United Kingdom and internationally, it has been suggested that leadership succession planning in individual schools can contribute to increasing the supply of successors as incumbent leaders leave their posts. Focus groups and a questionnaire were used to secure perceptions of heads, middle leaders and classroom teachers about leadership succession planning within their own schools. The study secures a better understanding of factors perceived either to aid or to hinder leadership succession planning across a sample o...

Seeing is believing: creating a catalyst for teacher change through a demonstration classroom professional development initiative

Abstract: This qualitative case study explored the experiences of eight observing teachers, a demonstration teacher, and a program department consultant, who over a nine‐month period participated in a demonstration classroom professional development initiative Analyses of participants’ experiences documented how the initiative created a catalyst for changes in observing teachers’ beliefs and practices Factors identified as those supporting their change processes included: the provision of ‘believable’ vicarious experiences in a local school context; the demonstration teacher’s exemplary mentoring skills and respect for observing teachers’ professional decision‐making; the cohesion created by tri‐level alignment of programming goals; and the on‐going support provided to observing teachers While this study affirmed that demonstration classrooms hold the potential to promote teacher change, it highlighted the importance of the selection of mentor teachers who are willing and able to provide differentiated professio

Research experiences for teachers: influences related to expectancy and value of changes to practice in the American classroom

Abstract: This qualitative study examines one professional development program and how this experience affects teachers’ thoughts about planning and science teaching practices specific to the elements focused on during the program. The program supports 13 American K–12 teachers, selected from across the nation, to spend six weeks with a mentor scientist in a nationally recognized science laboratory in the southeastern United States. The Research Experiences for Teachers program features are specifically designed to encourage reflective planning based on teachers’ understanding of inquiry, experimental design, the nature of science, process skills and communication. Results of this study include teachers’ increase in positive and accurate statements concerning implementing research‐based science practices (e.g. inquiry‐based learning) and one case study that demonstrates one teacher’s Research Experiences for Teachers experience and changes made to her classroom practices after attending the program.

Learning to lead: development for middle‐level leaders in higher education in England and Wales

Abstract: There has been a significant increase in interest in the development of educational leadership in recent years, not least in the school sector. However, little research exists on how leaders in higher education have learnt to lead, particularly those in ‘middle‐leadership’ positions such as heads of faculties and departments. This study explores leadership development of 18 leader‐academics within six chartered and statutory universities in the south of Wales and the west of England. Semi‐structured biographical interviews were used between November 2005 and April 2006 to secure academics’ perceptions of the development experienced to equip them with the necessary attributes to lead. The findings show that formal professional development for leadership was relatively uncommon. The majority of what leaders do is learnt, self‐taught and acquired throughout their life history. This study captures insights which should inform the future research agenda in higher education and highlights the possible inadequac...

Developing and rewarding excellent teachers: the Scottish Chartered Teacher Scheme

Abstract: The Scottish Chartered Teacher Scheme was designed to recognise and reward teachers who attained high standards of practice. The scheme emerged in 2001 as part of an agreement between government, local employing authorities and teacher organisations. Policies such as the chartered teacher scheme aim to benefit students in two main ways: by attracting and retaining effective teachers; and by ensuring all teachers continue to engage in effective modes of professional learning. This paper reviews the Scottish scheme in the light of international interest in policies designed to promote teacher quality. Key features of the Scottish Chartered Teacher Scheme are identified and future challenges. The latter include the need to: strengthen the role of the profession in operational aspects of the scheme; ensure the scheme is based on a valid and reliable assessment of classroom performance; mainstream the scheme; and integrate the scheme with changing conceptions of effective school leadership.

Action research and teacher leadership

Abstract: The present article reports on a case study into the influence and impact of action research carried out by teachers in a special school. The action research was an important component of the two‐year, post‐initial, in‐service course in special educational needs, provided by Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Department of Inclusive and Special Education. From the outset the case study was based on the premise that action research can be seen as a strategy for teacher leadership. Not only was it expected to help teachers to get to grips with their own work in the classroom, it was anticipated that their action research would also have an impact on the work of others in the school. We found that this was indeed the case, provided certain conditions were met.

Teacher educators inquiring into their own practice

Abstract: Much has been written about teachers’ professional learning through inquiry into their own practice. The emphasis has been on teachers researching, reflecting and making change in their practice. Despite the wealth of literature concerning teacher inquiry and professional development, there is little about teacher educators with respect to their professional learning and inquiry. In this study, we examine an evidence‐based professional learning project for inservice teacher educators situated in New Zealand. This involved advisers, facilitators and other inservice teacher educators who work with teachers in schools. Our project identified successes and challenges that inservice teacher educators face in leading their own professional learning. The successes included working collaboratively, legitimising reflective practice and using evidence to support learning and change. The challenges included the time and commitment to ensure sustainable change and also the issue of rigour in evidence‐based inquiry le...

Professional Development of School Leaders in Cyprus: Is It Working?.

Abstract: School heads and assistant headteachers in Cyprus attend in‐service training programmes as part of their professional development, after they are promoted to their new leadership post. A review of the literature highlights the significance of a needs analysis when designing and/or reforming in‐service training programmes. Nevertheless, there seems to be a lack of studies focusing on the leaders’ views regarding their own professional development and needs. The present study investigates school leaders’ views regarding the in‐service training programmes they formally attend in Cyprus (both with regards to content as well as organizational aspects of the courses), and whether specific personal characteristics of school leaders are associated with their views. The research was based on both interviews with school leaders (assistant heads and school heads) and also a semi‐structured questionnaire. Content and statistical analysis of the participants’ views revealed that they prefer specific training, especial...

Possible Effects of Professional Development on Turkish Teachers' Self-Efficacy and Classroom Practice.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of a professional development (PD) program on teacher self‐efficacy and classroom practice. Thirty‐eight in‐service teachers from a foundation school in Izmir participated in this study. Multiple sets of data for this study came from the Turkish teachers’ sense of efficacy scale, classroom observations, focus group interviews and a PD evaluation form. Collection of data was completed in two consecutive semesters, fall 2006 and spring 2007. Multivariate analysis of variance results indicated that the PD program had a positive effect on all three self‐efficacy beliefs. PD courses on instructional grouping (whole‐group and small‐group instruction) and project‐based learning (seminar plus workshop) were more frequently reported as having provided the most benefits to teachers’ PD. In conclusion, an instructional practice change did occur in some individual classrooms, but this was not part of systemic school‐wide change.

The story of an online teacher community in Cyprus

Abstract: The building of teacher networks or communities is increasingly seen as an alternative form of professional development, allowing teachers to share experience, information and good practice. The present article describes and analyses the activities of such a community, developed within the framework of a national debate, initiated to investigate the potential of online teacher communities in Cyprus. The study outlines how this community evolved on the basis of data collected through, firstly, records on the extent and the quality of contributions, and, secondly, telephone interviews with group members to reveal their own interpretations of participation. In light of an apparent failure of this online community to become a community of practice, factors contributing to this failure are further discussed. In particular, this study reflects on underlying issues, involving mostly the social infrastructure required for such communities to function efficiently and effectively. Such issues relate to enhancing pa...

The impact of a social cognitive theory‐based intervention on physical education teacher self‐efficacy

Abstract: Adolescents are physically inactive and non‐Caucasian adolescents achieve the least amount of physical activity. Hence, supporting teachers’ efforts to increase their students’ physical activity during physical education is important. We examined the influence of a social cognitive theory‐based intervention on teachers’ efficacy to teach physically active physical education lessons (i.e. Exemplary Physical Education Curriculum [EPEC] efficacy) and efficacy to overcome common barriers (i.e. barrier efficacy) to teaching physically active lessons. Forty‐seven elementary physical education teachers from a large inner‐city school district in the USA participated. We paired experienced teachers (n = 15) with novice 1 teachers (n = 15) while learning how to teach a physical activity curriculum and compared them with a group of teachers (n = 17) who received no intervention. We hypothesized that the intervention teachers, relative to the comparison group, would improve in their efficacy to teach the EPEC and ove...

Networking for educational change: concepts, impediments and opportunities for primary school professional learning communities

Abstract: This article discusses approaches to collaborative practice amongst primary school headteachers in the implementation of inter‐school networks. ‘Learning networks’ and ‘learning communities’ have been subject to increasing educational attention in England as part of a broader policy shift in favour of collaborative approaches to school improvement. In this small‐scale study, the interactions amongst groups of headteachers were observed over a five‐year period. While the study reveals the tentative beginnings of positive inter‐school professional exchange, these interactions take place in contexts where ‘networked learning’ and ‘community’ are often ill‐defined. Corroborating findings from other contemporary studies in the field, observations reveal that inter‐school collaboration is frequently hampered by a lack of conscious attention to theories and processes of change. This article challenges the implicit assumption that schools are easily equipped to engage in meaningful collaborative educational activ...

Optimising the use of interactive whiteboards: an application of developmental work research (DWR) in the United Kingdom

Abstract: There are concerns that the effective use of interactive whiteboard technology is being inhibited by its use only as a means of presentation. This article looks at the way in which a working group drawn from the university and school areas of mathematics teaching developed materials to enhance the pedagogic use of interactive whiteboard technology. The group worked according to the principles of developmental work research, used mainly in multi‐agency social policy planning. The multi‐disciplinary, structured and outcome‐oriented work was used to support what was considered by the participants to be effective professional development for all participants. Analysis of the approach according to culture, partnership, reflection and conceptual challenge offers evidence that cross‐sector experiential learning is mutually beneficial because it enhances both process and outcome.

Being a secondary English teacher in New Zealand: complex realities in the first 18 months

Abstract: This paper focuses on the experiences of a group of beginning secondary school English teachers involved in ‘Making a Difference’, a national New Zealand study of the influence of initial teacher education and beginning teacher induction on teachers’ early development as professionals. Rich data drawn from three rounds of interviews with beginning teachers highlight the challenges faced by beginning subject‐specialist teachers in secondary school contexts. The focus is on how such teachers balance their need to be confident in their curriculum knowledge and at the same time devise strategies to engage diverse learners at all levels. Data from four case studies highlight the challenges and complex realities experienced by beginning teachers as they move from ‘surviving to thriving’ (or not) as specialist‐subject teachers, how these teachers continued to develop sound curriculum and pedagogical content knowledge in their specialism area beyond their initial training year, and the in‐school factors that cont...

International handbook on the preparation and development of school leaders

Abstract: J. Lumby, G. Crow & P. Pashiardis (Eds), 2008 Routledge ISBN 0‐415‐98847‐0 [euro]65 (pbk), 491 pp. This book purports to be the first that provides a comprehensive and comparative review of what is...

Determining Professional Development Needs of General Educators in Teaching Students with Disabilities in Hawai'i.

Abstract: Inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classes is at the forefront of policy and practice; however, many general educators do not feel prepared to provide meaningful education to students with disabilities. It is critical, therefore, that administrators determine the specific professional development needs of their teaching population. A survey, developed from the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium principles of knowledge and skills that all teachers need in teaching students with disabilities, was administered to 857 general and special education teachers in Hawai‘i. Two group comparisons were made: general and special education teachers, and general education teachers by years of experience. Data revealed that there were significant differences between general and special educators as well as patterns of responding across all groups of general education teachers reflecting similar perceived areas of less and more confidence. Recommendations for professional de...

Faith school leadership: a neglected sector of in‐service education in the United Kingdom

Abstract: This paper argues that the professional development and in‐service educational needs of faith school leaders have been neglected by mainstream providers of continuing professional development programmes in the United Kingdom. Given the substantial presence of Church of England and Roman Catholic schools and colleges in the UK system and current plans for an increased number of Muslim, Jewish and Christian Evangelical schools, some positive response is necessary. The distinctive needs of faith school leaders (Christian, Muslim and Jewish) require the provision of continuing professional development and in‐service courses that look seriously at the specific challenges of faith school leadership in contemporary conditions.

Gaining a degree: the effect on teacher self‐efficacy and emotions

Abstract: Bandura’s concept of self‐efficacy has been the focus of numerous research studies related to teacher self‐efficacy. Most studies have investigated Bandura’s first three sources of self‐efficacy beliefs: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, and social persuasion—with much less emphasis placed on Bandura’s fourth source, the role of emotions. Essentially, teacher self‐efficacy research has centred upon classroom practice and teachers’ perceptions of their ability to bring about desired outcomes in relation to student learning. Much less is known about how teacher self‐efficacy is shaped by teachers’ emotions and factors outside the immediate sphere of their daily practice. This research project examined the impact on the self‐efficacy of 202 practising primary teachers of completing a degree qualification some years after gaining their initial teaching qualification. Rather than the teachers’ emotions and sense of self‐efficacy being shaped by their practice, mastery of a degree was an emotional exp...

Back to Schooling: Challenging Implicit Routines and Change.

Abstract: Engestrom and others have suggested that major barriers towards school change are rooted in the hidden, implicit aspects of daily school life that are taken for granted. These constitute the school’s taken‐for‐granted routines, which mold teachers’ affordances and constraints within the school, without their awareness. The present paper provides insight into the processes that afford the exposure of taken‐for‐granted school behavior and the emergence of alternative pedagogical context. It portrays the nature of a participative edge community that serves as a fertile ground for the initiation of such processes, and analyzes the change in the tools—boundary objects—that were instrumental in the emergence of teachers’ professional development. This process of schooling conveys the intertwining nature of school change and professional development as complementary processes that form an inseparable duality.

Chartered Teachers and the process of professional enquiry: the experience of five Scottish teachers

Abstract: This article will map the process of collaborative professional enquiry in an attempt to make sense of the structural elements evident in creating a ‘Community of Collaborative Professional Enquiry’ (CCPE). At the heart of each CCPE examined was a collaborative, improvement‐focused intervention that was designed and implemented by Scottish teachers engaged in professional updating in pursuit of Chartered Teacher status. It is hoped that, in articulating precisely what these teachers attempted to do, this will support our understanding of collaborative professional enquiry as a process. In particular, the paper will examine how collaborative professional enquiry supported teachers’ praxis by movement from the identification of practice‐based ‘problems’ to the professional construction of new knowledge.

Continuity, Support, Togetherness and Trust: Findings from an Evaluation of a University-Administered Early Professional Development Programme for Teachers in England.

Abstract: This article discusses the evaluation of a unique university‐based early professional development (EPD) programme in England that enabled newly and recently qualified teachers to have continued contact with their initial teacher preparation provider. The programme was designed to enhance the induction, EPD and retention of beginning teachers of secondary science, graduating from the university’s Postgraduate Certificate of Education initial teacher preparation course, through the provision of development days and the growth of a support network involving beginning and more experienced teachers. The main findings are that the programme helped to compensate for limitations of existing induction and EPD provision and to provide continuity and coherence between the beginning teachers’ initial teacher preparation and EPD. The new teachers perceived it to be a distinctive and strong programme that fostered reflective practice and addressed the emotional and affective side of teacher development. The findings ar...

Teachers' stress and a teachers' development course in Hong Kong: Turning 'deficits' into 'opportunities'

Abstract: Educational reforms have created tremendous stress for teachers in many parts of the world. This paper discusses the inadequacies of policy‐makers treating teachers as having ‘deficits’ that require ‘fixes’, rather than addressing bigger system issues that cause their stress. Drawing from the case of a Hong Kong professional teacher development course, this paper argues for the use of ‘personal growth’ as the main concept for professional development of teachers in the midst of educational reforms. The course addressed the changing roles and identities of teachers amid educational reforms and societal changes, and enhanced teachers’ competence in dealing with increasingly diverse student populations. Quantitative and qualitative post‐programme data showed that participants gained competence in self‐understanding, caring for students as unique individuals, thinking within a systems framework and building a learning community. Implications for teacher education are discussed.

"Challenge", "Freedom", "Change": An Emerging Language of Activism from Chartered Teachers?.

Abstract: The present article reports on a cooperative research with a small group of teachers studying for a professionally accredited master’s degree (MTeach), leading to the professional award of Chartered Teacher status, at a Scottish university. The aim of the study was to explore teachers’ perceptions of the impact made on them and their practice as a result of study on the first module of this programme. The first module was recently redesigned to embrace principles of transformational learning and requires teachers to engage in practitioner enquiry. Data were drawn from focus group discussions, structured around issues raised by the teachers during the module. Our data suggest that teachers perceived they had a freedom to engage in critical dialogue and were beginning to challenge and change educational practices within their own contexts. This is discussed in relation to some broader issues of teacher professionalism, some discourses of professionalism and teacher professional identity. We believe a sense ...

Engaging pupil voice to ensure that every child matters: a practical guide

Abstract: Rita Cheminais, 2008 London, David Fulton £19.99 (pbk), 128 pp. ISBN 9780415468541 The voice of the child and young person is at the heart of government policy in England embodied within Every Chil...

S/He Who Pays the Piper Calls the Tune? Professionalism, Developmentalism, and the Paucity of In-Service Education within the Research Profession.

Abstract: This paper focuses on the research‐related, in‐service professional development of social science academic researchers. It identifies as a gap in provision the paucity of provision of career‐long training in the ‘creative’ elements of research practice—specifically the methodological skills that have the potential to enhance individuals’ research capacity. It is observed that academic researching generally lacks the regulatory and quality control mechanisms to which many other professions are subject. This has led to continuing professional development being under‐prioritised, as well as being largely determined by employers (mainly universities). Since these employers are primarily concerned with the benefits that research activity brings to institutional status, prestige and reputation, and, connected to this, income generation, the continuing professional development they provide and promote is directed towards achieving these benefits, which—for the most part—are achievable irrespective of researchers...

School professionals’ attitudes to professional development in a networked context: developing the model of ‘believers, seekers and sceptics’

Abstract: This paper argues that school professionals’ attitudes to continuing professional development (CPD) fall into identifiable types, which influence their involvement with CPD In order to consider appropriate support for staff to take up relevant CPD, this paper aims to identify what these attitudes are To this end, a model developed as an outcome of a Wellcome Trust funded project is applied to the experiences of school professionals in a networked CPD context The Wellcome Trust model presents four categories—believers, seekers, agnostics and sceptics—according to their attitudes to CPD This study extends it with a further, fifth, category; that of ‘providers’ Whilst the original model suggests that professionals’ uptake of CPD is primarily dependent on their individual attitude, this paper argues that attitude is a more complex product of professional attitude and other factors, such as access to, relevance and variety of CPD Through the additional lens provided by other CPD models used in the litera

High-Quality Professional Development in Physical Education: The Role of a Subject Association.

Abstract: In this article, we report on a longitudinal action research project undertaken to explore the role that a subject association in the United Kingdom has chosen to play in ensuring that continuing professional development (CPD) provided for its members is of high quality. The Professional Development Board for Physical Education, which functions within the Association for Physical Education (UK), has introduced a proactive, self‐initiated and self‐regulated model of quality assurance. The providers involved are a range of individuals, organisations and bodies that provide CPD for physical education and school sport professionals. The article proposes that, for a self‐initiated and self‐regulated model of quality assurance to be successful, a democratic model of professionalism needs to be adopted by CPD providers. It goes on to suggest that the outcomes of such a model will lead to the development of a learning community for providers, which will, in turn, lead to improvement of their practice resulting in...