Design Of Professional Development Research Articles

Teachers in the Loop: Integrating Computational Thinking and Mathematics to Build Early Place Value Understanding

With increasing attention on the potential overlap between computational thinking (CT) and mathematical reasoning, STEM education researchers seek to understand how integrating CT and mathematics can deepen student learning across disciplines. Although there are various professional development programs that introduce teachers to CT concepts and strategies for curriculum integration, limited research exists on how teachers might apply this knowledge to create math + CT activities for use with their students. Additionally, the majority of research on CT integration through programming has focused on upper elementary grades, leaving the early grades (K-2) relatively unexplored. This qualitative exploratory study aims to examine how teachers in a graduate STEM education program collaborated with university STEM faculty to explore and critique a set of integrated math + CT block-based programming activities designed to build place value conceptual understanding. In-service elementary teachers enrolled in an online graduate CT course for educators (n = 13) explored these activities as learners and drew on their experiences as classroom teachers to offer feedback for program redesign. A sequence of deductive pattern coding and inductive holistic coding of course transcripts, collaborative problem-solving slides, and individual teacher reflections provided insights into how teachers were able to establish connections between their mathematical knowledge related to teaching place value and their emerging understanding of CT concepts, such as abstraction, algorithms, decomposition, and debugging. Implications for the design of professional development for elementary teachers on integrating CT and mathematics are offered.

‘It’s like Freire is haunting me’: the value of study groups for critical teacher professional development

ABSTRACT As part of a larger critical discourse study, I share how engaging with critical texts and discussion was personally and professionally meaningful for participants, despite perceived limitations. To understand how critical pedagogy overlaps and conflicts with contexts of teaching in public schools, I facilitated discussion with teachers in response to Paulo Freire’s text, Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Subsequently, I critically analysed teachers’ discourse in study groups, interviews and reflective writing to uncover how ideology functions to support or refute the possibility of critical pedagogy in teachers’ contexts. Implications of the study inform the intersections of critical pedagogy, teacher professional development and Whiteness Studies. While this research validates existing knowledge about professional development design and delivery, it challenges an assertion within professional development studies about the role of teachers as experts. I assert that when it comes to equity-based professional development programmes, groups of predominantly White teachers benefit from an informed facilitator and or colleagues and texts from various ideological stances. I recommend schools of education and professional development organisations doing critical work with teachers consider how teachers’ unexamined beliefs impede the realisation of critical pedagogy, and how these beliefs can be challenged in a professional space framed by institutional norms.

Practices, Challenges, and Perceived Impact of Professional Development Activities among Senior High School Teachers

Professional development is a critical aspect of education for teachers in the Philippines, who encounter various challenges in addressing the evolving needs of their students and the education system. Using the descriptive cross-sectional technique, the study aimed to identify the practices, challenges, and perceived impact of professional development activities among senior high school teachers. While there are similar studies on the subject, there are few to none which present the specific situation of senior high school teachers in the Philippines. The results showed that the respondents utilized professional development practices in terms of graduate/post-graduate studies to a great extent; FGDs, LACs, and other trainings to a very great extent; research and publication to a very great extent; education innovations to a very great extent; membership in professional organizations to a very great extent; and community service involvement to a very great extent. Of these practices, those in terms of community service involvement were utilized the most while those in terms of graduate/post-graduate studies were utilized the least. In addition, the respondents experienced professional development challenges in terms of teacher-related factors to a great extent; professional development availability, cost, and design to a great extent; and instructional supervision and assistance to a moderate extent. Of these challenges, those in terms of professional development availability, cost, and design were experienced the most while those in terms of instructional supervision and assistance were experienced the least. Furthermore, the respondents perceived the impact of professional development activities to a very great extent. The results also imply the need to underscore involvement in graduate/post-graduate studies in the proposed action plan and to improve the job satisfaction of teachers after engaging in professional development activities. Future researchers may conduct a similar study with the inclusion of the views and experiences of administrators and students as a means of validating the supposed impact of professional development activities as perceived by senior high school teachers.

The importance of building teachers’ intrinsic control into the design of professional development (PD) programmes

ABSTRACT Professional development (PD) programmes take a wide variety of forms. Lloyd and Davis (2018) present a model to map the diversity of PD programmes based on the extent to which intrinsic control of learning was afforded to the teachers by the PD. In this study, Lloyd and Davis’s model was applied to map two different PD programmes. Both programmes aimed to achieve similar outcomes, they ran over a similar timeframe of 2 years, and both were targeted at early career teachers (ECTs). Yet, despite these similarities, the ECTs mapped the programmes differently onto the model, and the extent to which the programme outcomes were achieved also varied. The degree to which ECTs considered that the PD afforded them a sense of control and an influence over the direction of their learning was found to be associated with the extent to which the intended programme outcomes were met. Building in an optimal balance of autonomy supportive opportunities into PD programmes is likely to be an important feature of their success.

Core Requirements, Structured Flexibility, and Local Judgment: Balancing Adherence and Adaptation in the Design and Implementation of District-Wide Professional Development

Professional development (PD) for teachers is a ubiquitous feature of the American educational landscape. Yet we know little about how districts navigate the variation in teacher learning needs when designing and implementing district-wide PD programs. In this paper, we describe how the District of Columbia Public Schools implemented an ambitious PD program called LEAP (LEarning together to Advance our Practice). Aligned with best practices, LEAP consisted of weekly group learning in content-specific teams, followed by individualized coaching support, all guided by a district-provided professional learning curriculum. We capitalize on both quantitative and qualitative data to understand how the program was implemented and how the district’s implementation efforts shaped what happened on the ground. Finally, we highlight implications for other districts interested in implementing complex PD.

Culturally- and Linguistically-Responsive Online Teacher Learning Professional Development

This literature review explores the landscape of online teacher learning and professional development (PD) that is responsive to cultural and linguistic differences. The researchers, a diverse group of doctoral students, instructors, and teacher educators, are motivated by the need to address racial inequities and disparities exacerbated by the recent pandemic. The review aims to understand the theories and conceptual models used in responsive online teacher preparation and PD, the utilization of technology and its affordances, and the intentional targeting of specific groups for responsive teacher preparation and PD. The study followed a systematic approach, resulting in the selection of 27 articles that met the inclusion criteria. The findings highlighted the significance of socioculturally inspired theories, frameworks, and practical models in addressing inclusivity. They, in turn, influenced various tools used to reduce barriers, create online communities, enhance accessibility, and promote engagement. Accordingly, the review also revealed that to foster inclusivity, intentional efforts were required to involve teachers from minority, majority, and international communities. The implications emphasized the importance of teacher preparation and PD in establishing responsiveness, refuting deficit thinking, and capitalizing on cultural and linguistic assets. They also underscored the need for equity in the design of online teacher training and professional development. Finally, the review concluded with the various ways AI could be looped into the process.

초등학교 수학 교과의 원격수업에서 나타나는 교사의 수학적 주목하기

This study aims to explore the impact of the characteristics of remote learning on the overall mathematics classroom. Adapting Lobato et al.'s (2013) notion of “noticing as a phenomenon distributed across individual cognition, social interactions, material resources, and normed practices (p. 809),” the present study reports on similarities and differences in mathematical noticing of two elementary teachers who conducted remote learning on fractions division and how what each teacher noticed was shaped by other elements of their classroom. Although the two teachers taught the same lesson with similar tasks, there were distinct differences between the two teachers' classrooms. Similar to previous studies reporting on students' mathematical noticing, the differences in teachers' centers of focus emerged as a result of focusing interactions, features of mathematical tasks, and the nature of mathematical activities during remote learning. We concluded the study by suggesting the importance of focusing on teachers’ mathematical noticing, implications for future research, and effective professional development design for remote learning.

Analysis of key roles in large‐scale online learning: Interactive participation characteristics and knowledge construction behaviour patterns

AbstractOnline teacher professional development is a branch of online learning, which offers educators opportunities to refine their pedagogical skills and collaboratively construct knowledge within professional learning communities. During these interactions, teachers often engage in knowledge construction while exhibiting diverse role characteristics. Investigating these role characteristics and knowledge construction patterns can enhance the comprehension of the interaction process and contribute to online teacher professional development design, addressing challenges such as weak activity and low collaboration. This study examined the key roles that actively interact or contribute to the online community in online teacher professional development, analysing interactive participation characteristics and knowledge construction behaviour patterns. Data were collected from an online teacher professional development activity in China. Statistical, content and lag sequence analysis methods were employed. Results showed that the three key roles had weak interaction persistence and different content quality in interactive participation characteristics. Knowledge construction behaviours of key roles were generally at a high level, with different patterns observed. Finally, the study proposed practical implications based on key roles' interactive participation characteristics and knowledge construction behaviour patterns. These implications may inspire the learning designs that promote online interaction and deep learning based on role characteristics in online teacher professional development.Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Online teacher professional development is an evolving and increasingly recognized field within education, positioned as a subset of online learning. Within professional learning communities, teachers engage in knowledge construction and display varied role characteristics. In large‐scale online teacher professional development, only a few consistently maintained knowledge sharing and interaction. These active participants, or ‘key roles’, account for the majority of interactions. The interactive characteristics of the key roles are rarely discussed. What this paper adds Key roles, while actively participating in the online community, do not necessarily maintain consistent activity throughout the learning process. The interactive participation behaviour of key roles tends to learn more towards ‘following’ rather than ‘initiating’. The quality of interactive content from key roles varies widely. While they are responsible for a significant portion of interactions, it is not guaranteed that these interactions will always be of high quality. Knowledge construction behaviour patterns vary among key roles. Overall, their knowledge construction behaviours are generally at a high level and primarily transit among high stages of knowledge construction. Implications for practice Maintain continuous interaction and posting high‐quality content prove to be challenging even for key roles. Course administrators should monitor and strategically enhance their engagement to prevent them from becoming lurkers. Understanding the behaviour patterns of key roles offers insights for increasing interaction enthusiasm among active participants. It is necessary to develop role‐specific scripts in professional learning communities, to tailor content for opinion leaders, contributors and boundary spanners.

Historical trends of the professional improvement of the doctor in primary health care for the early diagnosis of alterations in oral comunication

Introduction: oral communication (OC) disorders as a health problem constitute a starting point for the design of professional development of professionals working at the Primary Health Care (PHC) level. Objective: to characterize the historical tendencies of professional development of physicians in PHC for the early diagnosis of OC disorders.Methods: the dialectic method was used as the guiding method. At the theoretical level: historical-logical, analytical-synthetic and inductive-deductive. From the empirical level: documentary review.Results: as national tendencies of the professional improvement of the physician in PHC for the early diagnosis of OC alterations were found in this research: the professional improvement of the Comprehensive General Practitioner (MGI) in relation to OC disorders and their early diagnosis has not been identified as a learning need; recognition of the importance of the MGI in the early detection of OC disorders, according to national demands; and the demands of a professional improvement in relation to OC disorders that enhances the real scenarios where child care is performed and prioritizes the participation of the MGI.Conclusions: in correspondence with the international tendencies of postgraduate studies, as a strategic development instrument, the professional improvement of physicians in PHC for the early diagnosis of OC disorders shows tendencies that are oriented to the professional improvement and to the quality of life of the population.

The Use of Professional Development to Enhance Education of Students with Autism: A Systematic Review

The study objective in this article was to present the state-of-the-art on teachers’ professional development to enhance educational quality for students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in primary and secondary education. A systematic review was conducted, following the PRISMA guidelines. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies were eligible for inclusion. Fifteen studies were identified and summarized. To identify the eligibility criteria, we applied the SPIDER framework. Quality appraisal was applied using the MMAT. A thematic summary and narrative synthesis of the included studies was conducted to establish a comprehensive understanding of what makes a difference in preparation for teachers of autistic students. Two key factors were found regarding the design of professional development for teachers to enhance their skills to teach autistic students. Firstly, teachers’ developed autism-specific knowledge, and secondly, the need for practice-based training with a focus on the challenges teachers meet at their own schools. Multiple ways of addressing teachers’ need for professional development regarding autistic students may further contribute to inclusive values and actions.

Saudi teachers' perspectives on flipped learning: Are they ready and willing?

PurposeIncorporating flipped learning (FL) into teaching English as a foreign language may improve student learning outcomes. This study gathered information on Saudi EFL teachers' readiness and willingness to apply FL. So, it aims to describe Saudi EFL teachers' readiness and willingness to apply FL in language classrooms and to find suitable guidelines for Saudi EFL professional development (PD) designers to follow.Design/methodology/approachThis descriptive study involved 153 male and female Saudi EFL teachers as participants, investigating the perspectives and perceptions of these teachers within the context of foreign language teaching in Saudi Arabia. Surveys in Qualtrics were employed as the primary data collection tool for the study.FindingsResults showed that teachers' self-efficacy of their current teaching was high. Most participants had positive attitudes and abilities related to FL, although they also identified potential challenges related to its engagement and assessment. Teachers expressed a strong willingness to participate in PD in this area, with a preference for online videos and group workshops.Originality/valueThe study emphasizes the importance of PD for Saudi EFL teachers. In addition, it offers guidelines for planning effective PD.

Building Teacher Capacity for Inclusive Education: A Professional Development Model Using Technology and UDL

This study proposes a professional development model for building Teacher capacity in Inclusive Education, utilizing technology and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. The model was developed based on a review of literature on inclusive education, teacher professional development, technology integration, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The proposed model includes three phases: (1) pre-training activities, (2) training activities, and (3) post-training activities. Pre-training activities involve a needs assessment, goal setting, and preparation for the training. The training activities include synchronous and asynchronous online sessions, collaborative activities, and self-paced learning modules. The post-training activities focus on ongoing support, coaching, and evaluation. The proposed model incorporates Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to ensure that the training is accessible and effective for all teachers, regardless of their learning preferences or disabilities. Universal Design for Learning UDL works on three principles. The model incorporates the use of technology to facilitate the training and support phases, including an online learning platform and virtual coaching sessions. The UDL framework is used as a guiding principle throughout the model, ensuring that teachers have the tools and knowledge to design instruction that is accessible to all students, regardless of their learning needs or abilities. The study concludes that the proposed professional development model can effectively build teacher capacity for inclusive education and promote positive outcomes for students with diverse needs.

Designing a framework for teachers' integration of computational thinking into elementary science

AbstractAs professional science becomes increasingly computational, researchers and educators are advocating for the integration of computational thinking (CT) into science education. Researchers and policymakers have argued that CT learning opportunities should begin in elementary school and span across the K‐12 grades. While researchers and policymakers have specified how students should engage in CT for science learning, the success of CT integration ultimately depends on how elementary teachers implement CT in their science lessons. This new demand for teachers who can integrate CT has created a need for effective conceptual tools that teacher educators and professional development designers can use to develop elementary teachers' understanding and operationalization of CT for their classrooms. However, existing frameworks for CT integration have limitations. Existing frameworks either overlook the elementary grades, conceptualize CT in isolation and not integrated into science, and/or have not been tested in teacher education contexts. After reviewing existing CT integration frameworks and detailing an important gap in the science teacher education literature, we present our framework for the integration of CT into elementary science education, with a special focus on how to use this framework with teachers. Situated within our design‐based research study, we (a) explain the decision‐making process of designing the framework; (b) describe the pedagogical affordances and challenges it provided as we implemented it with a cohort of pre‐ and in‐service teachers; (c) provide suggestions for its use in teacher education contexts; and (d) theorize possible pathways to continue its refinement.

‘So basically I have to speak less and give students some freedom’: how committing to a value influences a teacher’s enactment of an inquiry-based science unit

ABSTRACT Teachers’ practices and interactions with curriculum materials are influenced by a host of factors, which include their values. The mechanisms of this influence may benefit from elucidation. Here, we describe a case of a teacher enacting an inquiry-based learning unit (LU) as part of a school science enrichment programme. The teacher’s interactions with the LU appear to be influenced by her self-stated idea of giving students ‘freedom’. We track these influences through the course of the teacher’s planning, enactment, and reflection of the LU. Because of how ‘freedom’ guides her actions, we argue that it serves the function of a value. Furthermore, we contend that the teacher’s commitment to ‘freedom’ represents an exercise of her deliberative agency. This commitment to ‘freedom’ is supported by her interactions with her context, which include labelling of her preliminary ideas with the term ‘freedom’, being asked to choose between curriculum materials, reflective conversations with the researcher, and reframing the site of enactment. We also describe challenges that the teacher faces with respect to student guidance, resulting from her commitment to ‘freedom’. From this work, we suggest implications for the design of curriculum materials and teacher professional development.

Corporate Digital Literacy Mandates

Envision an employee showing up faithfully every day for work but cognitively checked out every minute (i.e., quiet quitting). This article adapts a futurist perspective to describe the adult education pedagogy of experiential learning in juxtaposition to the limitations of behaviorist employee training incentives. The authors conceptually apply Spiral Dynamic Theory (SDT) based predictive strategies to capitalize on the assumptions of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation themes among contemporary adult workers. The field of Adult and Continuing Education caters its teaching and learning to people who are 25 years of age and older. As employees, they bring to the corporate work environment a unique set of skills and life experiences that require pedagogical delivery that is innovative and motivating. Research shows that older adults are often technology averse. Therefore, scaffolding the employee’s use of technology and social media as expectations of the work tasks could help improve low digital literacy and increase self-efficacy. This paper offers Spiral Dynamic Theory (SDT) as an instrument for adult training and professional development design.

Teacher learning for transformation: a framework

ABSTRACT Teachers working to transform classrooms towards equity and justice must resist the continual press of dominant culture, which seeks to reproduce longstanding arrangements of inequity and injustice. Little is known about the learning that supports teachers in this resistance. This article offers the Teacher Learning for Transformation (TLT) framework, which is built from two theoretical pillars: Wenger’s articulation of four aspects of learning in Communities of Practice: meaning, practice, identity, and community; and Holland et al.’s notion of Figured Worlds. The resulting conceptualisation of TLT is a holistic view of multiple aspects of teachers’ learning, which are embedded in and mediated by socio-historical and socio-cultural contexts. I offer an illustrative example of an articulation of the framework to support research on teacher learning towards transformation in a particular context. I comment on ways in which the framework might support further research and design of professional development which aims to support transformative learning towards greater justice in classrooms.

The Design and Content of an Online Continuous Professional Development Course in Special Education for Teachers in Irish Immersion Primary and Post-Primary Schools

This article discusses the design and content of an online continuous professional development (CPD) course in special education provision for students in Irish immersion (IM) primary and post-primary schools. The course was developed using the data from a mixed methods study on the needs of teachers in this area. This article describes the ABC course design method used. It presents the five modules of the course: (1) bilingualism and second language acquisition, (2) assessment, (3) inclusive pedagogies, (4) universal design for learning, and (5) ICT for the inclusion of all students. It also includes data from a course evaluation form completed by participating teachers (N = 25) in relation of the areas of the course that were effective, areas that they would like to learn more about, and recommendations on how the course could be improved. It is anticipated that this article will be of interest to immersion teacher educators internationally.

The Conceptual Framing, Design, and Development of Mobile-Mediated Professional Development for Primary Mathematics Teachers

This paper examines the design and development of a mobile-mediated professional development program for primary school teachers. It explores learning design frameworks and strategies to offer effective, 24/7, anywhere-anytime PD using mobile technology. The study highlights the significance of design requirements and best practices in mobile-mediated TPD, and presents a conceptual framework incorporating various pedagogical/andragogic approaches and instructional design possibilities enabled by mobile technology. The framework is based on the integrative learning design framework (ILDF), CSAM, RASE, Keller's ARCS, and TPACK framework. The resulting framework enacts evidence-informed and theory-led models, and best practices to cater to instructional design requirements for creating meaningful mobile-based learning experiences for teachers.

Data Scientist Professional Revisited: Competences Definition and Assessment, Professional Development and Education Path Design

Data Scientist Professional Revisited: Competences Definition and Assessment, Professional Development and Education Path Design

A tale of caution: Navigating special education teacher resistance to well-being professional development

Despite increased attention to special education teacher well-being in the past decade, special education teachers continue to leave the field at twice the rate of general education teachers (Boe, 2014; Fox et al., 2020). The current study investigated special education teachers’ responses to a school-wide professional development series focused on teacher well-being. Although many teachers embraced the opportunity to discuss well-being, some were resistant towards well-being professional development. Thus, researchers explored what drove resistance to well-being professional development and how researchers responded to resistance. Findings suggest that efforts to support special education teacher well-being should be attuned to teachers’ reactions and moments of resistance, offering opportunities for professional growth that are responsive to the needs of adult learners. We discuss how such attentiveness can support the design and implementation of meaningful professional development that is context specific, rooted in community strengths and values, and dynamic and reflective of teacher needs.