Influence Of Professional Development Research Articles

Influence of School Environment on Physics Teacher Effectiveness in Kigezi Sub-Region, Uganda

This study investigated the influence of school environment on physics teacher effectiveness in secondary schools in Kigezi Sub-region, Uganda. The focus of the study was to establish the influence of administrative support on physics teacher effectiveness; to establish the influence of collegiality of teachers on physics teacher effectiveness and to find out the influence of professional development like workshops, seminars on physics teacher effectiveness. This study employed both quantitative and qualitative techniques to collect and sequentially analyse the data. The study adopted a mixed research design on a sample of 234 physics teachers, fourteen (14) head teachers and six (06) education officials. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, interview guide, focus group discussions and classroom environment checklist. Quantitative data was analysed through the statistical software programs SPSS and SPSS AMOS while qualitative data was analysed using content analysis and verbatim quotations. Descriptive analysis showed that the school environment highly influences physics teacher effectiveness in all aspects. The results of structural equation model (SEM) showed that the school environment influences teacher effectiveness. The findings showed that the school environment as conceptualised as administrative support, collegiality and professional development had a strong positive influence on teacher effectiveness. It was concluded that teachers should create appropriate environment to present new thoughts by creating standards of administrative support, exercise companionship and cooperation between colleagues. Finally, develop professionally and remain relevant with current skills by participating in activities like educational seminars, workshops, and conferences

Influence of School Environment on Physics Teacher Effectiveness in Kigezi Sub-Region, Uganda

This study investigated the influence of school environment on physics teacher effectiveness in secondary schools in Kigezi Sub-region, Uganda. The focus of the study was to establish the influence of administrative support on physics teacher effectiveness; to establish the influence of collegiality of teachers on physics teacher effectiveness and to find out the influence of professional development like workshops, seminars on physics teacher effectiveness. This study employed both quantitative and qualitative techniques to collect and sequentially analyse the data. The study adopted a mixed research design on a sample of 234 physics teachers, fourteen (14) head teachers and six (06) education officials. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, interview guide, focus group discussions and classroom environment checklist. Quantitative data was analysed through the statistical software programs SPSS and SPSS AMOS while qualitative data was analysed using content analysis and verbatim quotations. Descriptive analysis showed that the school environment highly influences physics teacher effectiveness in all aspects. The results of structural equation model (SEM) showed that the school environment influences teacher effectiveness. The findings showed that the school environment as conceptualised as administrative support, collegiality and professional development had a strong positive influence on teacher effectiveness. It was concluded that teachers should create appropriate environment to present new thoughts by creating standards of administrative support, exercise companionship and cooperation between colleagues. Finally, develop professionally and remain relevant with current skills by participating in activities like educational seminars, workshops, and conferences

How do graduate students approach college teaching? Influences of professional development, teaching assistantships, and Big Five personality traits

IntroductionGraduate students engage in college teaching with varied attitudes and approaches. Their teaching practices may be influenced by professional development experiences related to pedagogy, and their personality traits.MethodsThrough an online survey of graduate students teaching undergraduate courses (N = 109, 69.7% women, M age = 30 years, 59% psychology), we examined whether self-reported participation in professional development related to pedagogy, teaching assistantship (TA) experience, academic discipline (psychology vs. other), and Big Five personality traits were associated with variation in teaching practices.ResultsParticipation in professional development correlated positively with years of undergraduate teaching experience and with the trait of openness. Hierarchical regressions indicated that professional development served to promote student-focused practices and discouraged lecturing, while TA experience (mostly restricted to psychology instructors) promoted lecturing and discouraged a student-focused approach. Regarding academic discipline, psychology instructors gave higher endorsements to an information transmission, teacher-focused approach to teaching, lectured more, and were less likely to provoke debate than instructors of other disciplines. Such differences may be attributed in part to larger enrollments of psychology courses. Regarding personality traits, both openness and agreeableness were associated with some student-focused practices, while conscientiousness was associated with an information transmission, teacher-focused approach and with practices aligned with backward course design.DiscussionIn light of previous evidence that personality traits are malleable, graduate training programs may want to cultivate traits like openness as a means of encouraging graduate students to reflect on their pedagogy and seek ways to improve their teaching through professional development. Relatedly, graduate programs should aim to support students’ participation in professional development related to pedagogy and, in doing so, communicate its value.

Teaching as Mediation: The Influence of Professional Development on Teacher Identity in Mexico City Public Schools

In the context of a study investigating a teacher learning program, DIA, designed to encourage practices of mediation and promote teacher well-being and holistic learning for students, we evaluated changes in teachers’ practices and perspectives following training in the DIA program. We used qualitative measures, including focus groups, writing samples, drawing samples, classroom observations, and lesson plans and workbooks. Our analysis found that teachers who participated in DIA expanded their identity as a teacher, conceptualizing their role as mediators of learning. The DIA training provided ideational, material, and relational resources that supported this expansion of teachers’ identities, allowing them to access new learning and implement new practices of holistic instruction.

Faculty Epistemological Beliefs and the Influence of Professional Development

This study explores the epistemological beliefs of the science faculty at a small liberal arts college in the Southern U.S. and investigates the effect of a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) professional development. The Teacher Beliefs Interviews (TBI; Luft & Roehrig, 2007) was used to investigate epistemological beliefs of faculty from various STEM disciplines for a period of three semesters. The faculty members were grouped into two categories: those who participated in professional development (treatment group) and those who did not (comparison group). Further, classes for all the faculty members who participated in the interviews were observed during the same period to compare beliefs and practices. Reformed Teacher Observation Protocol (RTOP; Piburn & Sawada, 1995) was used to rate the observations. Results indicate the STEM faculty at this college had transitional beliefs. Further, a significant difference was observed between the classroom observations of FLC participants and the comparison group. Significantly, a high correlation was found between faculty beliefs and practice. Results from this study add to the current understanding of faculty beliefs and practice. Keywords: epistemological beliefs, STEM, TBI, FLC, posttest, faculty

The influence of professional development in gifted education on the frequency of instructional practices

Gifted education teacher training, licensure, certification, and degrees are ubiquitous in the Australia and abroad, and yet whether or not such training results in changes to classroom instructional practices remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to better understand the relationship between professional development in gifted education and the practices used by educators in the classroom. Two hundred and seventy-nine respondents who had completed one of three levels of teacher professional development completed the Classroom Practice Survey (Revised). The preregistered prediction for this study, that higher levels of professional development would result in higher levels of self-reported teacher practices, was not supported by the data, thereby drawing attention to the need for more research in this area and potential revisions to gifted education teacher professional development opportunities.

Teaching, Assessment and Professional Development: Praxis in Ireland's Political Science Community

Reflecting international and national policies, the strategies of individual educational institutions seek to ensure excellent learning experiences for students. This paper explores the strategies used by political science faculty on the island of Ireland to achieve excellence in their teaching and learning. Drawing on the work of Hartlaub and Lancaster [(2008). Teacher characteristics and pedagogy in political science, Journal of Political Science Education, 4(4), pp. 377–393], Henderson et al. [(2011). Teaching old dogs new tricks or simply using the old tricks at the right time, Journal of Business & Economics Research, 1(3), pp. 69–74] and Moore [(2011). How (and what) political theorists teach: results of a national survey, Journal of Political Science Education, 7(1), pp. 95–128], it uses a survey to gather data on the pedagogical techniques and assessment tools most frequently used by political scientists in their undergraduate and postgraduate classrooms. It also documents the influence of professional development, length of service, annual teaching loads and other contextual issues on their choice of techniques and tools. It finds that a mix of traditional and modern approaches to teaching and assessment is used. The lecture and the essay are the most popular teaching technique and assessment tool in the undergraduate classroom. However, more active learning approaches are used by many faculty. Some clear gender differences are observed in terms of professional development, teaching techniques and assessment tools. Finally, the results suggest a strong commitment to innovation, pedagogic adaptability and continuing professional development at a time of educational constraints and cutbacks.

Shaping Professional Development to Promote the Diffusion of Instructional Expertise Among Teachers

This study examines how high-quality professional development can promote the diffusion of effective teaching strategies among teachers through collaboration. Drawing on longitudinal and sociometric data from a study of writing professional development in 39 schools, this study shows that teachers’ participation in professional development is associated with providing more help to colleagues on instructional matters. Further, the influence of professional development on participants’ instructional practice diffuses through the network of helping. These findings suggest that in addition to direct effects, spillover effects of professional development can occur through collegial interactions. Evidence presented in this study potentially helps educational leaders develop high-quality professional development programs and distribute professional development participants within schools to enhance all teachers’ instructional practices.

The influence of professional development on changes in educators’ facilitation of complex thinking in preschool classrooms

Over a three-year period, 20 educators, who worked at a preschool in Hawaii serving two- to five-year-old children, participated in professional development designed to promote complex thinking among young learners. Six times each year, the educators were video-recorded while teaching to assess their use of strategies that facilitate complex thinking. Results indicated that across time, the professional development promoted teachers’ use of strategies to promote children's complex thinking increased, and the trajectories of all teachers’ strategy use increased at similar growth rates. Teachers who worked with younger children used the strategies to a lesser degree. Consistent with previous research on effective professional development, findings suggest the positive influences of professional development that goes beyond the ‘one shot’ workshop to promote the practice of new strategies, feedback, and reflection.

Developing Effective Special Education Reading Teachers: The Influence of Professional Development, Context, and Individual Qualities

This study examined the impact of contextual and individual factors on the implementation of professional development (PD) content in the area of word study and fluency by three upper-elementary special education teachers. The PD effort included an initial PD institute, monthly cohort meetings, an online community forum, coaching, and opportunities for self-reflection. Interview data, observation field notes and ratings, meeting transcripts, and knowledge surveys were collected and analyzed. Using case study and cross-case analysis, three interrelated themes emerged that differentiated participating teachers' ability to effectively integrate the PD content into their classroom instruction: (a) content reading knowledge and pedagogical skills, (b) motivation to participate in the PD and to change instructional practice, and (c) individual teachers' willingness to enhance or modify the curriculum used in the classroom. Information related to these themes and their interrelationships is reported along with the implications for future research and practice in PD for special educators.

The Influence of Professional Development on Teachers’ Psychosocial Perceptions of Teaching a Health-Related Physical Education Curriculum

The impact of a yearlong professional development intervention on physical education teachers’ psychosocial perceptions was investigated. Experienced mentor teachers (n = 15) were paired with inexperienced protégé teachers (n = 15) who helped them learn how to teach a health-related physical education curriculum (i.e., the Exemplary Physical Education Curriculum). Using the theory of planned behavior as the guiding theory, it was hypothesized that teachers would experience favorable increases in various psychological constructs (e.g., attitude) and variables reflecting the social culture of their schools (e.g., administrator’s perceptions) as compared with control teachers (n = 17). A variety of statistically significant main and interaction effects with mean scores in expected directions were found. In general, mentors and protégés developed a more positive view of their own psychological state (e.g., perceived behavioral control) and of the immediate school social environment (i.e., support from administrators and fellow teachers). The significant results, combined with meaningful effect sizes, supported the effectiveness of this intervention.

The Influence of Professional Development on Young Writers' Writing Performance

The single purpose of teacher education and subsequent professional development is to prepare increasingly effective and skilled teachers, where the indicator of such is increasingly effective students. It is reasonable to expect that when teachers have the appropriate instructional tools, the result will be an increase in their students' skills and achievement. This article focuses on writing instruction and poses 10 learning outcomes for the teaching of writing. The research examines teacher education and development that includes exemplary modeling and coaching toward those learning outcomes. The article presents evidence from research in five educational settings that shows a connection between what teachers experience in teacher education and professional development and subsequent student writing performance.