Professional Development Course Research Articles

An Exploration of Continuing Professional Development Courses for Oral Hygienists in the Western Cape

An Exploration of Continuing Professional Development Courses for Oral Hygienists in the Western Cape

A professional development course inviting changes in preservice mathematics teachers’ integration of technology into teaching: the lens of instrumental orchestration

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can provide rich learning opportunities in classroom teaching, which requires teachers’ effective instrumental orchestrations. However, there is a lack of research regarding the development of teachers’ instrumental orchestrations. In this study, we designed and implemented a professional development course, aiming to explore whether the course could change preservice mathematics teachers’ instrumental orchestrations. To this end, an analytical framework of instrumental orchestrations within a GeoGebra environment was established. Data were collected from Chinese preservice mathematics teachers, including the videotapes of their simulated lessons, GeoGebra files, written documents, self-reflections, online speaking, etc. In the results, three participants’ changes in instrumental orchestrations were presented as main cases. It was found that the three preservice mathematics teachers’ types of instrumental orchestrations did not change, but the frequencies of those increased significantly. The changes in didactical configurations were mainly reflected in the layout of GeoGebra, and the changes in exploitation modes were mainly manifested in the techniques teachers use and the management of mathematics tasks. In addition, it was revealed that theoretical support (instrumental approach), technical support (knowledge about using GeoGebra), and community support (“Same Content Different Designs” activity and communicating and discussing with others) were useful course elements inviting changes in instrumental orchestrations. In this regard, this study contributes to providing a promising professional development course that can be used in teacher training so as to improve teachers’ instrumental orchestrations.

Impact of Distance Professional Development Course on Early Childhood Teacher’s Knowledge, Skills, and Beliefs on Self-Regulation

This study aims to evaluate the impact of a distance professional development course, within the framework of the Preschool Situational Self-Regulation Program (PRSIST), on the knowledge, beliefs, and skills of early childhood education teachers about self-regulation skills. One of the qualitative methods, the case study, was preferred for the current study. The research was conducted with 5 early childhood education teachers, working in a city in middle Anatolia, Turkey. The teachers attended the synchronous distance professional development course 1 day a week for 5 weeks. The total duration of the five sessions was 120 minutes. Interview forms, reflective journals, and documents were used as data collection tools. As a result of the research, it was found that the course had positive impact on teachers' knowledge, skills, and beliefs about self-regulation skills.

Unveiling the underlying constructs of mobile assisted language learning technological pedagogical content knowledge (MALL TPACK): development and validation of a MALL TPACK scale for EFL teachers

ABSTRACT In the present study, a MALL TPACK questionnaire was developed and validated based on a TPACK framework. Data were collected from 414 EFL teachers. The development of the questionnaire involved a comprehensive review of existing literature, examination of existing questionnaires, and interviews with experts. This process resulted in an initial item pool of 50 questions. The questionnaire was subsequently administered to participants, and its construct validity and reliability were assessed employing various statistical methods. Exploratory Factor Analysis was conducted with a subset of 200 participants, while Confirmatory Factor Analysis was performed with the remaining 214 participants. Additionally, the Cronbach’s alpha method was employed to evaluate the reliability of the instrument. The results indicated that participants were able to identify four constructs from the original TPACK framework: Pedagogical, content, and pedagogical content knowledge, as well as TPACK. However, knowledge of technology was divided into two separate constructs: Knowing technology and using technology. As a result, a six-factor solution with 37 items was developed and confirmed as a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating MALL TPACK levels among Iranian EFL instructors. These findings have important implications for future research and in the design of teacher professional development courses in Iranian EFL contexts.

Research of Professional Preferences of Teachers in Kazakhstan: Analysis of Teaching Methods and Training Courses

The study aims to identify the professional preferences and needs of teachers in Kazakhstan in the areas of teaching methods and training courses. The survey involved 41,231 teachers from various regions of the country, providing representative data. The main objective of the research was to determine which professional development directions are most in demand among teachers and how these preferences vary by region, years of experience, and subjects taught. The research methods included quantitative analysis conducted through questionnaires. The analysis revealed that most teachers show interest in courses on teaching methodology for their specific subjects, as well as courses related to the use of interactive and innovative teaching methods, the integration of digital technologies, and the preparation of students for competitions. It was found that teachers' preferences vary depending on their experience: novice teachers are more interested in general professional development courses, whereas experienced teachers prefer specialized courses that enhance their professional skills. Based on the collected data, recommendations were formulated for the development of educational programs for teachers' professional development, emphasizing methodological training, modern educational technologies, and innovative teaching approaches. These findings can contribute to improving the quality of teaching and the overall effectiveness of the educational process in Kazakhstan.

Knowledge and Practice of Diagnostic Reference Levels, Radiation Protection, and Safety among Dental Professionals and Dental Undergraduate Students in the United Arab Emirates: A Multicentric Study

Abstract Background: Dental radiographic examinations deliver low doses of radiation with low biological risks; however, low doses can lead to a cumulative risk. Diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) indicate typical practice in a country or region. Surveys to establish DRLs can help acquire dose information, and less attention to DRLs can have consequences for the patient and dental workers. This study aims to determine the knowledge and practice of DRLs, radiation protection, and safety among dental professionals and dental undergraduate students in the United Arab Emirates. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was distributed among dental students, general dental practitioners, dental faculty, and radiographers from dental universities in the United Arab Emirates. This study assessed the knowledge and practice of radiation safety of 221 participants. Results: Among the surveyed respondents, 58 (26.2%) had a good level of knowledge, 94 (42.50%) had an average level, and 69 (31.2%) had a poor level. 30.3% of the respondents were aware of the DRLs in dental radiography. Only 10 survivors were able to accurately mention the national DRL for intraoral adult radiography. The level of knowledge is significantly associated with age (P < 0.0001), year of experience (P < 0.0001), and professional development courses (P = 0.024). Almost half had an average level of practice, 30.8% a good level and 22.6% a low level. The level of practice is influenced by age (P = 0.001), qualification (P = 0.034), and experience (P = 0.022). Conclusions: Knowledge of DRLs, radiation protection, and safety is adequate among the sample surveyed. However, translation of this knowledge into practice is lacking, which warrants the need for further training and enhancement of dental health-care workers.

Blended Learning And Lab Reform: Self-Paced Sotl And Reflecting On Student Learning

As part of a large exercise physiology laboratory (lab) reform project, we used blended learning to support graduate teaching assistants and lab technicians in developing their pedagogical knowledge and create an entry point to reflective conversations about teaching and learning. Because self-paced asynchronous online modules can enable reflective and self-determined learning, this asynchronous professional development course is punctuated with reflective questions for the instructional team preparing to teach reformed exercise physiology labs. Asynchronous course content was shared via short videos, podcasts, and readings. We debriefed this self-paced, SoTL-informed course together, in-person. This social debriefing kicked off our weekly synchronous reflective conversations about teaching and learning in a community of practice. Developing a shared language for talking about teaching, enabling student learning, practicing effective teaching, and beginning to contemplate teaching philosophies were described by graduate teaching assistants as notable aspects of this blended learning journey. Lab technicians described discovering SoTL and discussing learning challenges as helpful to their teaching.

Cooperative learning before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: the predictive power of teacher expertise

AbstractThe present study aimed to investigate the relative predictive power of teachers’ beliefs about cooperative learning, their participation in professional development courses on cooperative learning, emotional exhaustion, and the frequency of cooperative learning implementation before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic for the frequency of cooperative learning implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two hundred and sixty-eight German teachers participated in an online survey in the spring of 2021 (retrospective self-reports, cross-sectional). The study revealed three key findings: first, teachers used cooperative learning significantly less often in face-to-face teaching during the pandemic than before the pandemic. Second, teachers’ positive beliefs about cooperative learning and their participation in professional development courses predicted the frequency of cooperative learning implementation before the pandemic. But, third, neither of these aspects of teachers’ expertise predicted the implementation of cooperative learning in face-to-face teaching during the pandemic. Only the frequency of implementation before the pandemic predicted implementation during the pandemic which may point to the value of routine in times of crisis. Our findings suggest that the predictive power of aspects of teacher expertise (such as their beliefs) varies with contextual conditions.

A model for investigating and developing mathematics teachers' noticing of argumentation

Drawing upon the imperative to foster argumentation within the mathematics classroom, this paper integrates two key areas of mathematics education research – argumentation and teachers' noticing. It proposes a model of mathematics teachers' noticing of argumentation that was designed and piloted in professional development courses for teachers in Israel dedicated to argumentation in mathematics teaching. The paper discusses the theoretical and empirical construction of the model and presents empirical evidence regarding the model's potential to foster and analyze teachers' noticing of argumentation. The paper concludes with a discussion of the model's contributions and limitations.

The Relationship Between Teachers' Perceptions of The Implementation of The Khatam Al-Quran Model and The Tasmik Program with Management Commitment

This study aims to identify the relationship between teachers' perceptions of the implementation of the Khatam Al-Quran (KAQ) Model and the Tasmik Al-Quran (TAQ) Model in the j-QAF program with management commitment. The management commitment domain studied consists of three main components: j-QAF program management, support and facilities, and guidance and monitoring. A quantitative research design was employed using a survey instrument administered to 56 samples from a population of 216 Islamic Education Teachers (GPI) in the Kuala Nerus district of Terengganu. The research data were analyzed descriptively using SPSS Version 22 software. The findings of the study indicate that the implementation of KAQ and TAQ is at a high level with overall mean values of 3.86 and 4.03, respectively. Teachers' perceptions of KAQ have a positive and significant relationship with management commitment, with an overall correlation coefficient (rs=0.545, p 0.000). The correlation coefficients for each component are (rs=0.274, p 0.041) for j-QAF program management, (rs=0.508, p 0.000) for support and facilities, and (rs=0.459, p 0.000) for guidance and monitoring. Similarly, teachers' perceptions of TAQ also have a positive and significant relationship with management commitment, with an overall correlation coefficient (rs=0.601, p 0.000). The correlation coefficients for each component are (rs=0.405, p 0.002) for j-QAF program management, (rs=0.379, p 0.004) for support and facilities, and (rs= 0.449, p 0.001) for guidance and monitoring. Aspects that require attention include guidance and monitoring, teacher needs, student weaknesses, and training and professional development courses for teachers to achieve maximum success in implementing the KAQ and TAQ Models.

Assessing the validity and reliability of enabling structure scale in mainland China

PurposeDeveloping an enabling bureaucratic structure for school organization has been an important aim of education governance reforms in China, like many societies across the globe, since the 1990s. However, there is a lack of valid measures to investigate the extent to which the Chinese education governance reforms facilitate the development of the enabling structure of school bureaucracy and examine the antecedents and consequences of enabling school bureaucracy. Thus, the study was conducted to validate the Chinese version of the Enabling Structure Scale (ESS-Ch), which is used to assess school bureaucracy in China.Design/methodology/approachThe study surveyed 1,146 teachers enrolled in professional development courses provided by a Beijing university. The validation process involved two phases. In the first phase, the sample was divided into three subgroups for exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and cross-validation. In the second phase, reliability and validity were assessed utilizing the entire sample.FindingsIt indicated a four-factor model of the ESS-Ch: enabling formalization, coercive formalization, enabling centralization and hindering centralization. Factor loadings ranged from 0.72 to 0.88, composite reliabilities ranged from 0.82 to 0.95 and values of average variance extracted ranged from 0.61 to 0.80.Research limitations/implicationsThe study contributes to the international literature by validating the ESS-Ch so as to provide a standard measure that can be applied in comparative studies on enabling school bureaucracy between Chinese and Western cultures.Originality/valueThe study is original by validating the ESS-Ch based on a sample of 1,146 teachers in China.

Scaffolding Pre-service Science Teachers’ Problem-Solving Strategies in a Methane Gas Detector Task Within an Earthquake-Robotics PD Course

AbstractEducational robotics (ER) has the potential to be a novel approach to teaching geohazards such as earthquakes at the college level. ER, which provides learners with problem-solving settings, requires proficiency in content knowledge and practical application to address ill-defined problems, challenging learners to master problem-solving strategies. Despite several efforts in the existing literature, it is necessary to scaffold the problem-solving strategies comprehensively. This qualitative study investigated the problem-solving strategies of nine pre-service science teachers aligned with a coding scheme containing problem-solving strategies not previously documented together. The participants were assigned to construct a methane gas detector with Tinkercad to mitigate post-earthquake explosion risks for rescue teams in an online robotics-integrated earthquake professional development (PD) course. Qualitative data, including artifacts, observations, and interviews, were analyzed using deductive coding. The results indicated that participants predominantly employed trial and error, expert opinion, and case-based reasoning. They rarely utilized heuristics and intuition and did not use capacity evaluation, prediction, or sketching strategies. Furthermore, the study synthesized different problem-solving strategies into a comprehensive framework, which was used as a coding scheme. This framework helps to clarify problem-solving mechanisms in an ER context, offering a structured approach.

Navigating the Online Classroom: Developing Online Teaching Skills in Graduate Public Health & Health Professions Education

The absence of targeted online teaching development opportunities in graduate education may hamper faculty readiness to ensure engagement, learning, and student success in the online learning environment. Faculty are often hired for their subject matter expertise rather than their proficiency in teaching online. Student and faculty success in the online environment requires foundational teaching knowledge and an understanding of the differences between traditional and online teaching. A 4-week asynchronous course was designed to mirror a real-world online course aimed at educating educators. The course consisted of foundational learning theories and practices, curriculum and course design, engagement and presence, and course delivery methods. The course was offered 10 times over 3 years and completed by 258 public health and health profession faculty, teaching and postdoctoral staff, and doctoral students. End-of-course evaluations indicated that participants found it valuable to be in an online course in the student role and felt more prepared to teach online. The teaching online professional development course has highlighted the importance of new or continuing faculty development in asynchronous learning.

CED PORTAL WEBSITE

Abstract-. The Continuing Education Department (CED) is committed to advancing lifelong learning and professional development by providing a wide range of high-quality, accessible educational programs for adults and professionals. These offerings include professional development courses, certification programs, workshops, seminars, community education, and online learning, all designed to enhance skills, promote personal growth, and foster community engagement. Through these initiatives, the CED aims to improve employability, support career advancement, and contribute to community development, ensuring that individuals and communities are equipped to adapt to evolving industry trends and achieve their personal and professional goals. Index Term: HTML; CSS; JavaScript; Bootstrap; PHP; UI; Web Application.

Studying efficacy of particular design elements in online teacher professional development courses: The case of systematizing videos for enhancing teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge

While design principles for effective teacher professional development (PD) courses have been empirically identified in comprehensive studies, they have not yet been well disentangled with respect to the contribution of specific design elements. This particularly applies for digital online PD courses and for teachers with different prior knowledge. In this paper, we investigate two design elements for the systematizing phase (videos vs. discussions) of a synchronous online PD session with regard to their differential effectiveness for teachers’ professional growth in pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and their emotional and motivational reactions to the PD. In our focused randomized controlled trial, 102 mathematics teachers (with heterogeneous PCK) participated in 2‑hour online PD sessions on specifying, noticing, and enhancing students’ understanding of multiplication with various PD inquiry activities. In the systematization phase, teachers were randomly assigned to two treatment conditions: the video group watched a systematizing video (i.e., a video that summarizes the PCK elaborated during the session) and the discussion group had small-group discussions about individual summaries. In both groups, teachers’ reports about emotional and motivational reactions to the PD revealed similarly high values, and their PCK improved significantly from pre-test to post-test. Analyses of variance with repeated measures revealed significant differences between the treatment conditions for teachers with low prior PCK: Teachers with low prior PCK who watched the systematizing video developed their PCK significantly more than those who discussed in small groups. In this way, the study contributes to disentangling the differential effects of design elements in online PD courses for teachers with heterogeneous prior knowledge.

Planning for the Implementation of Fine Motor Work Therapy Activities for Special Needs Pupils

Occupational therapy activities can assist pupils with special needs in resolving some of their fine motor issues. Teachers should increase special needs pupils' pre-writing preparation with planned and structured activities that are methodical and have increasing qualities. This study aimed to observe how far Special Education teachers could go in planning appropriate activities based on their pupils' abilities by selecting occupational therapy activities and then sharing the potential impact expectations of fine motor ability of special needs pupils, particularly pupils with learning difficulties. This is a qualitative study that employs the hands-on method, observation, discussion, and interviews with 41 teachers and 17 pupil management assistants who participated in a continuous professional development course, which the researcher conducted at the Institute of Teacher Education Campus level and were able to produce a planning of activities that has the learned characteristics of advanced tolerance, focus, adaptability, and choosing the simplest to most complex occupational therapy activities. Furthermore, teachers can share the outcomes of activity planning and group discussion, as well as set expectations for the potential of the targeted pupils. Finally, this study suggests that special education teachers should collaborate and receive professionalism training on an ongoing basis to foster the proliferation of ideas and skills in planning appropriate activities to improve the fine motor skills of pupils with special needs.

Transforming a synchronous community of collaborative critical inquiry into co-performing construction of professional development in education

ABSTRACT This paper reports a university instructor’s critical evaluative rethinking for inspiring teaching and re-development of a course for schoolteacher professional development at times of crisis, from local socio-political movements to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The instructional mode was expected to revitalise schoolteachers’ collaborative critical inquiry in multiple digital realities of a synchronous blended learning community when university campuses and schools were closed during the pandemic. A qualitative case study was adopted to evaluatively, critically, and collaboratively unpack the effects of rethinking in response to the challenge. The participants included the instructor and 25 schoolteachers. The findings highlight the inspired rethinking of synthesising emerging elements of collaborative critical inquiry in connection to the philosophical underpinning and practical structure of the Community of Inquiry framework. The course was innovatively infused with the interdependent presences of the framework towards transactional cycles of professional teaching and learning in the community. This sheds new light on the effects of co-performing construction of teaching towards deep learning experiences on professional development. The main implication of the co-performing construction is trustful cohesion of common professional identity for professional development across educational levels.

In search of time: Higher education teachers' experience of an online professional development course

AbstractThis article investigates teachers' lived experiences of an online professional development (OPD) course in Denmark – that is, Teknosofikum – through a hermeneutic phenomenological perspective, and it relies on the interpretive analysis of 15 semi‐structured interviews. The article's contribution focuses on the theme of ‘time’ and highlights it as a multifaceted construct that plays a relevant role in learning. By relying on the ideas of temporal structuring and multiple temporalities, the article shows that OPD courses and HE teachers' engagement nest themselves into pre‐existing and complex nexus of commitments and duties, each of which has its own temporality and rhythm, along with longer‐term aspirations for pedagogical development. As time emerged as a relevant aspect characterizing OPD course design and HE teachers' experiences, the article provides simple recommendations for ‘time‐aware’ OPD courses.

Creative dance – practising and improving … what? A study in physical education teacher education

Creative dance, that is to say, movements, with or without music, which allow participants to express ideas, thoughts, and feelings, are sometimes accompanied by a ‘there is no right or wrong way to move’ rhetoric. This may reinforce the impression among physical education teacher education (PETE) students, who often have limited experience of (creative) dance, that there is nothing to practise in creative dance and that this activity is merely directionless movement. In this paper, however, based on Aggerholm's notion of practising movements, we explore an occasion in a PETE course where a magic moment occurred, indicating that the students had practised and ‘figured out’ something that made this moment possible. The purpose of the paper is to explore the knowledge in movement that PETE students were practising as they participated in creative dance. The purpose is also to shed light on what pedagogical practice contributed to enabling such practising. Video documentation and short interviews with students in one PETE course and one continuing professional development course for physical education teachers indicate that the magic moment was made possible as the students’ practised making sense of moving in non-predetermined – creative – ways and appreciating the expressive dimension of movement. Laban's movement analysis framework seemed, along with the teachers’ knowledge of movement, to be an important element in the pedagogical practice that made the magic moment possible.

Self-determination and intention to adopt massive open online courses (MOOC) for professional development

Motivations have shown great influences in people’s acceptance of technologies, this can be concluded from previous research in the field of technology acceptance. This study investigates the relationship between the Self-Determination Theory of Motivation and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and confirms a significant relationship across most of the variables in the theories. The study offered an expanded Technology acceptance model (TAM) in the context of a massive open online course (MOOC), based on self-determination theory (SDT). By investigating the effect of autonomy, competence and relatedness on perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and attitudes. The findings show a statistically significant positive relationship between perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and attitudes. Results indicate that autonomy and relatedness have a statistically significant positive influence on attuited but the influence of competence was not statistically significant. Moreover, results show a statistically significant influence of autonomy and relatedness influence on perceived ease of use but the influence of competence was not statistically significant. Also, results show a statistically significant relationship between autonomy, and competence but not statistically significant for relatedness.