Exploring Effective Methods of Teacher Professional Development in University for 21st Century Education

Abstract

In the 21st century, the new trends of technology, economy, politics impact social life, workplace and people lifestyle. In turn, university need to alter and innovate curriculum and instruction to teach students with “21st century skills”, such as critical thinking and problem solving, cross-cultural understanding, creativity and innovation, information, communications, media literacy, computing and ICT literacy. Teachers have to foster all of them then can teach students to learn. Under this situation, teacher professional development evoke teachers to meet students needs for 21st century education. Through systematical content analysis on related research works, the author conclude effective teacher professional development methods that contains need assessment of TPD, peer-mentoring, building collaboration, create positive school culture, develop 21st century skills, instructional strategies for active learning, embedding core values, continual professional development, research-based projects and integrated ICT teaching, which can address teacher learning and practice.