Professional Development Experiences Research Articles

Developing critical consciousness for culturally responsive teaching: an international teacher exchange program

ABSTRACT The increasing diversity of the student population in classrooms across the United States demands the adoption of pedagogical principles based on the concept of culturally responsive teaching. This study adopts the notion that culturally responsive teaching only becomes possible when teachers implement self-reflection and critical consciousness. Using a qualitative approach, the authors aimed at examining the effects of an international professional development experience on a group of elementary teachers from the United States and Costa Rica with a focus on their perceptions about linguistic and cultural diversity in schools. The analysis of the interviews and reflective journal entries revealed that participation in an international teacher exchange program prompted participants to examine their personal beliefs about education and question, not only their own instructional practices, but also broader school systems and policies related to language, culture, and ethnicity.

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.

Learning from casework in child protection: the view from within

ABSTRACT Child protection is a complex and sensitive practice. The core responsibility is the care and protection of children and young people who have been subject to, or who are at risk from abuse and neglect. The work involves investigating allegations of harm, preparing for, and making representations to the legal system, and case planning and management across a continuum of complicated care interventions. Caseworkers’ learning for child protection services is evident in a range of literature investigating multiple learning processes such as university preparation, student placements, professional supervision, training, and other post-qualifying professional development experiences at work. Much of this literature reflects an orthodox conception of learning as mentalistic and individualized. This study offers an alternative view of learning grounded in the work experiences of caseworkers themselves. It uses practice theory as a lens through which the phenomenon of learning in statutory child protection casework is explored. The findings foreground the embodied and experiential dimensions of learning in casework, transpiring through deep familiarity with the social and material situatedness of casework activity, as a form of doing and being-in-the-world.

Designing Lesson Plans with New Content Knowledge: The Intersection of Content Knowledge and Pedagogical Content Knowledge

ABSTRACT Although teachers’ instruction has been extensively studied, there is a dearth of research investigating how teachers design lessons and integrate new information into their existing lessons. This study utilized a case study approach to examine how teachers engaged in a nanoscale science professional development experience integrated new science content into their lesson plans. Five experienced science teachers were tracked as they conducted science research and developed new lessons that integrated their research into their science instruction. The findings showed that these teachers had to cross borders between science and education to design lessons, and three priorities framed their lesson planning processes: understandability, engaging students, and relevant real-world applications. For teachers whose students were assessed with end-of-grade high-takes testing, fitting the new information into the tested material was essential. The study provides insight into this border-crossing process and has implications for the design of programs that implement research experiences for teachers.

Exploring ICT professional development of experienced female EFL teachers

The integration of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) into language teaching and learning is mandated by the national policy in Indonesia. This study aims to describe 34 experienced female EFL teachers’ experiences ICT professional development.. This study reports on: 1) encouraging and discouraging factors of ICT use for participants, 2) solutions of ICT integration for participants’ professional development, and 3) peers’ perception on participants’ improvement of ICT competencies. In order to investigate the external and internal factors on the participants' ICT professional development experiences, a sequential explanatory design with mixed methods approach was used in the study. In the first phase, a questionnaire was used as the instrument to categorize participants into satisfactory ICT proficiency and less satisfactory ICT proficiency. The second phase was one-on-one interviews to find further information on the participants’ experiences on ICT professional development. The questionnaire was analyzed using SPSS, while interviews were analyzed using deductive content analysis which employs four stages in its process. Results show that all teachers with proper ICT proficiency and those who are less proficient in ICT have positive perceptions of the use of technology in education. However, there are differences in how they solve internal and external problems, and how they perceive guidance from peers and also support from the school environment. This study recommends universities and the government to develop programs of ICT professional development suitable for experienced female teachers.

Exploring Challenges and Lessons Learned in Pre-Service Teacher Online Learning Environments

The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges for education systems worldwide, particularly in developing countries less accustomed to online learning. Despite difficulties, the shift to online teaching and learning for pre-service teachers has yielded unforeseen advantages, offering opportunities for valuable skills development crucial for their professional growth. This mixed-method study investigates the professional development experiences of 421 pre-service teachers from the University of Pristina during and after the pandemic. The participants, comprising bachelor's, and master's, students from the Faculty of Education, were selected through probability sampling. Additionally, qualitative insights were gathered post-pandemic through focus group discussions with 7 students involved in the learning process during the pandemic period. Quantitative data underwent analysis using SPSS software, employing correlation, t-test, and regression analyses. Qualitative findings were derived through thematic analysis. The findings indicate that online learning can present challenges that hinder professional advancement, such as technology issues that impede progress. Nevertheless, collaborative efforts with peers were found to enhance students' satisfaction with online learning, possibly attributed to the significance of social interaction and group projects. The study highlighted that despite pandemic challenges, data on emergency situations has prepared teachers and students for similar challenges in the future. This will assist educational institutions in enhancing online education quality through targeted measures.

A systematic approach at the development and assessment of functional literacy of the students of professional educational organizations: regional aspect

Functional literacy as a pedagogical category is considered in the context of its development in the system of secondary vocational education. It is known that for the successful development of the personal characteristics of students, the teacher needs a deep understanding of its essence and context. In this article, a description of the process of development and evaluation of functional literacy of students of professional educational organizations is presented, based on a systematic approach, which is considered as a methodological basis for the development and functioning of the process of developing functional literacy among students of vocational schools. The experience of professional development of vocational education teachers for the implementation of a systematic approach is also presented. The emphasis is on the development of general professional competencies, which are based on the key components of functional literacy and are related to the characteristics of the future activities of students of secondary vocational education. The content of the educational community work in the Samara region in the field of functional literacy at the secondary school level, described by the author, reflects the stages of the process, regional specifics, features of the professional development of secondary school teachers and the implementation of the principles of a systematic approach (integrity, hierarchy, planning, dynamism, adaptability and structuring) in the formation and assessment of functional literacy of students of professional educational organizations.

Librarian Perspectives on Technical Standards at Academic Institutions with Engineering Technology Programs

Technical standards are resources that are important for engineering and engineering technology students due to ABET accreditation requirements and future professional use of the documents. Previous studies have surveyed librarians at Association of Research Libraries (ARL) institutions with engineering programs and librarians at universities with top-ranked engineering programs about standards. This study fills a gap by focusing on librarians at institutions with engineering technology programs. We surveyed 34 academic librarians at institutions with four-year bachelor programs in the disciplines of mechanical engineering technology or electrical and electronics engineering technology to learn about standards access and challenges at their libraries, standards education for students, and librarians’ standards-related professional development experiences and needs. Key findings include: standards access and standards education efforts are skewed towards larger institutions; librarians encounter significant cost challenges in providing standards access; few librarians receive education about standards until moving into their careers; and there is a need for self-paced librarian training materials focused on standards. Further education for librarians about standards and increased standards access has the potential to have a significant impact on many students, given the reach of librarians in their liaison roles.

Critical Qualitative Inquiry: One Attempt to Actualize a Reconceptualization of Research

Critical qualitative scholar-activists’ work toward greater justice is always situated within the neo-liberal structures of the academy and society: even as we strive to reconceptualize research, we exist within its current conceptualizations that instantiate and reify the very oppressions we seek to disrupt. This paper chronicles one researcher’s attempt to reconceptualize research as sacred acts of relationships and relating through challenging the primacy of language, and traditional conceptualizations of disability. Calling on praxis as a complex dynamic of theory and practice—two indivisible parts of being human—I will discuss a research project involving a professional development experience for teacher candidates with disabilities or diagnoses, as a research endeavor that attempted to facilitate research as a sacred act occurring in the relationships formed and relating within, between, and among the people involved and employed methodological tools that do not rely on language as an only source of communication.

From Pre-Service Preparation to Professional Development: Early Childhood Teachers’ Learning Experiences, ECE Quality, and Child Development in China

ABSTRACT Research Findings: This study examined the associations between early childhood education (ECE) teachers’ pre-service education (PE), professional development (PD) experiences, ECE quality, and child development. The participants included 52 teachers and 706 children from 52 preschool classes in Shanghai and Guizhou. Teacher educational level was associated with classroom interaction quality. The frequency and diversity of PD activities that ECE teachers experienced in the past year were also related to overall ECE quality. Mediational analyses indicated that the diversity and frequency of PD were indirectly associated with child development through ECE quality. Region of residence moderated the associations between PE and child development and between ECE quality and child development. Practice or Policy: Together, the findings highlight the need for policy to support ECE teachers’ professional learning from pre-service education to ongoing professional development.

Implementation of Lesson Study in the context of STEM education in a rural setting in Ireland: challenges and opportunities

PurposeThis research seeks to explore the potential of Lesson Study as a vehicle to support professional development (PD) in a rural, Irish primary school. Lesson Study was utilised to design and implement integrated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) lessons with young children (ages 4–7 years).Design/methodology/approachThree teachers were introduced to and participated in four cycles of Lesson Study over the course of one school year. Qualitative data were generated from interviews, collaborative weekly meetings and observation sheets.FindingsAnalysis suggests that Lesson Study supported the development of a culture of collaboration and provided an opportunity for teachers to share their knowledge. Findings also reveal that Lesson Study motivated teachers to reflect on their role within the classroom and enabled them to move away from teacher-led approaches. Although teachers perceived Lesson Study to be a beneficial form of PD, factors constrained their engagement, including practical, cultural and sustainability challenges.Practical implicationsThe study explores the adaptability of Lesson Study in first level education in the context of STEM education. It reveals teachers’ first experience of Lesson Study, given its stark contrast to more “traditional” PD experiences they are accustomed to. This article will, therefore, be of interest to teachers, school leaders and policy makers.Originality/valueThis paper contributes initial findings to a currently under-researched area, Lesson Study in a rural context. This study also combines Lesson Study with STEM education, which has not been widely explored.

Primary schools as professional learning communities and teachers’ professional development: an empirical study in a Greek educational context

ABSTRACT This study investigated the level of professional learning communities (PLCs), teachers’ professional development (PD), and their relationship in Greek primary schools. This quantitative survey, which included 428 Greek public primary schools, yielded 674 and 571 responses regarding PLCs and PD, respectively. Hord’s five PLC dimensions were measured using the Professional Learning Communities Assessment-Revised questionnaire. The National Staff Development Council’s 12 standards/three PD dimensions were measured using the Standards Assessment Instrument. The findings revealed that primary schools function as PLCs, but at the second implementation level, thus not refining their culture or becoming mature PLCs. Teachers’ PD experiences focused more on the content of their professional learning, whereas the standards of research, assessment, and learning communities presented lower averages. The non-significant, low-degree, and negative correlation between PLCs and PD indicates that, as schools do not provide sufficient job-embedded PD experiences, teachers’ PD is based on individual initiatives rather than schools’ needs/learning/development.

Exploration of Science Teaching Self-Efficacy Sources from Multiple Narratives of Professional Development Experiences

Professional developments are effective interventions for exposing teachers to self-efficacy sources that align with innovative (e.g., inquiry-based) science pedagogies. However, in many situations, teachers are tasked with implementing innovative science practices without consistent and enduring professional development experiences. The study explored science teaching self-efficacy sources in situations where provision of professional developments is inconsistent and circumstantial. In this multi-case study, self-efficacy sources were explored through narratives of science teachers and key educational administrators. Participants’ real-life experiences with professional development (PD) were analysed to identify and understand the sources of self-efficacy they found most significant. It examined the nature, types, and relevance of these sources without imposing external control. The study context emphasized regular, mandatory PD experiences for teachers, but participants were not currently undergoing any PD experiences. The study used a mixed sampling method to select 18 science teachers, 12 head teachers, four circuit supervisors, 3 science coordinators, and four deputy directors and director of education in urban and rural Ghana. The findings indicated that nearly all PD experiences embedded and exposed instructors to various sources of science teaching self-efficacy, with the highest being traditional-oriented cognitive content mastery (63.4%) and cognitive pedagogical mastery (65.9%). The majority of PD experiences were brief, with most lasting no more than five days, and often involved multiple subjects rather than focusing specifically on science. Overall, the study highlights the complexity of self-efficacy sources and the need for tailored, ongoing professional development opportunities for science teachers. The study recommends that those components of professional development experiences be carefully selected and integrated to embed and expose instructors to relevant and sufficient self-efficacy sources that align with innovative pedagogies emphasized in curricula documents.

Teachers’ experiences of continuous professional development for citizenship and social cohesion in South Africa and Zimbabwe: enhancing capacity for deliberative democracies

While questions continue to be asked about teachers’ content and pedagogical content knowledge to ensure quality education systems, less consideration has been placed on teachers’ ability to teach for citizenship and social cohesion that contributes equally to quality education systems. This paper illuminates the understandings of citizenship and social cohesion held by South African and Zimbabwean teachers, their experiences of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) that promote the values of citizenship and social cohesion, and how they practice these learnings in their school contexts. The South African study presents the views of eleven high school teachers where data was procured through semi structured interviews. The Zimbabwean study presents the views of seventeen high school teachers, where data was procured through an open- ended questionnaire. The two studies suggest that teachers in South Africa and Zimbabwe share similar perspectives on citizenship and social cohesion, emphasizing nation-building and respect as key drivers. Teachers also report aligning their teaching practices with citizenship and social cohesion values with a limited focus on political participation, possibly due to fear of negative repercussions. Further, CPD for citizenship and social cohesion is fragmented, inconsistent and mostly absent. This study is an important contribution to debates about improving quality education and ensuring deliberative democracies in post-conflict and post-colonial states in the Global South. Teachers play a critical role in socializing schoolchildren for citizenship. As such, they need to be equipped with the skills that allow them to do so. Further to this, teachers also need the freedom and autonomy to discuss politics in the classroom without fear of negative repercussions, including alienation and fear of losing their jobs.

Early childhood educator and director experiences of speech pathology-led professional development: A qualitative study

Background: Quality early childhood interactions, especially quality adult–child interactions, are known to form the foundation of future skills associated with social, academic and communicative development. Speech-language therapists (SLTs) can engage with educators in professional development to improve communication environments for children. Understanding the perspectives of early childhood directors and educators in relation to the feasibility, sustainability and impact of professional development is needed. Aim(s): This study investigated the experiences of early childhood educators and directors who participated in a SLT-led professional development training program. Method: Participants were four directors and six early childhood educators. Directors participated in one focus group; educators participated in individual semi-structured interviews. All participants were female and had between 5 and 38 years of experience. They were interviewed following the completion of an eight-week training program. Verbatim transcripts of the director focus group and educator interviews were thematically analysed using NVivo12. Result(s): Three overarching themes were developed. These were the appropriateness and acceptability of the training, impact and professional engagement with eight subsequent themes also identified. Although participants reported positive experiences participating in the training, several practical and translational challenges were identified. Conclusion: The professional development training implemented by SLTs was influenced by a number of factors that assisted or hindered educator and director experience of the program. The appropriateness, acceptability and feasibility of a professional development (PD) program should carefully consider participants’ learning needs and workplace environments.

The use of reflective conversations as a professional development tool – a narrative exploring the experiences of a performance analyst working in semi-elite football

ABSTRACT Previous research into the use of reflective techniques, in applied sports environments, has tended to focus on the experiences of coaches. However, with the increasing professionalization of sports, coaches no longer stand alone as the focus for research into the professional development experiences of individuals. Yet, there is only limited research into the professional development of performance analysts. Consequently, this research sought to understand how a performance analyst could use reflective conversations with coaches, players, and expert analysts as a tool for professional development. The research adopted an autoethnographic approach to investigate the use of reflective conversations as a tool for professional development for a performance analyst. The data collection and analysis process followed three stages for Martin, the performance analyst the heart of the research: living the story, telling the story, and retelling the story. Through this process, two vignettes were written about Martin’s experience engaging in reflective conversations; ‘Delving Deeper’ and ‘A mirror conversation’. These vignettes highlighted the importance of Martin engaging in reflective conversations in order to develop strategies to manage professional issues as well as being beneficial in helping him to understand the opportunities for professional growth available within his role.

Modeling how professional development interacts with teacher leaders’ outcome expectancies and school environment perceptions

ABSTRACT There is increasing awareness that teacher leadership can serve a vital role in addressing many of the issues facing schools, but the conditions under which leadership capacity develops is still an open question. Most of the literature addressing this question is theoretical and based on small, qualitative studies. This quantitative investigation involving over 400 teacher leaders explores the relationships among teacher leaders’ outcome expectations and their perceptions of the school environment in which these teachers work. Further, a comparison of how these factors vary according to the teachers’ professional development experiences is examined. This manuscript provides validity arguments for a newly developed survey instrument. The findings of this investigation indicate that professional development focused specifically on developing teacher leadership is significantly associated with elevated outcome expectancies, and that a possible explanation for this increase might be related to how the professional development influences teacher leaders’ views of the resources in their school environment.

On ‘Becoming’ Contemplative Academic Development Practitioners: Reflections through Collaborative Autoethnography

The onslaught of COVID-19 heralded a turn in higher education as society has begun to question the purpose, values and practices of higher education. COVID-19 presented the unique opportunity to re-imagine and re-envision how one conceptualises the roles and responsibilities of academic development practitioners. How are they responding to their own evolving selves, their environmental cues, and shaping the shifts of redirection within higher education? In this article, we draw from two research traditions to examine the processes of re-imagining academic developers’ becoming: contemplative pedagogy and collective autoethnography. In our data collection, we use the concurrent model in autoethnography as we draw on personal memory data, archival materials, self-observation, self-reflection, self-analysis and interviews with each other. This contributed to a thick description of our personal and professional lives and practices. We show how these collective research traditions and approaches provided nuanced understandings of the role of place and space in evolving academic development in higher education. This article argues for the value of a contemplative autoethnography as an approach to transforming academic development practices, particularly in providing insight into professional development, identity and personal experience.

Early childhood educators' self-efficacy, science perceptions, and professional development experiences in the Southeastern U.S. and Catalonia

Investigaciones anteriores han encontrado conexiones entre el desarrollo profesional (DP) basado en la ciencia y la autoeficacia de las educadoras de educación infantil, los beneficios percibidos de la educación científica y los desafíos con los que se encuentran. Sin embargo, existe una comprensión limitada de cómo estas conexiones difieren a través de contextos internacionales. Este estudio exploró las diferencias entre las educadoras de educación infantil de España y del sudeste de Estados Unidos con respecto a las percepciones científicas, las experiencias y la participación en el DP. Un total de 396 docentes de educación infantil de Cataluña (España) y el sureste de Estados Unidos completaron el cuestionario P-TABS. La prueba T y las correlaciones de Pearson revelaron que las educadoras estadounidenses se sentían más cómodas enseñando ciencia mientras que las educadoras españolas participan más en el DP. Entre todas las participantes, las educadoras con más experiencia o aquellas con mayor DP se sentían más cómodas enseñando ciencia y percibían tener menos desafíos. Asimismo, las educadoras que participaron en más DP percibieron más beneficios para sus estudiantes. Las implicaciones de este estudio en futuras investigaciones incluyen examinar estas diferencias a través de metodologías cualitativas.

Exploring High School Mathematics Teachers’ Experiences of Professional Development in the Integration of GeoGebra


 This study investigated how high school mathematics teachers in South Africa integrate GeoGebra, a free dynamic mathematics software program, into their teaching practices. The research explored teachers' perceptions of the training they received for the GeoGebra software, their ability to create and implement GeoGebra-based lessons, and their confidence in using it in the classroom. The study employed an interpretive research paradigm to gather insights through unstructured interviews with four purposefully selected teachers from South Africa's Northwest Province. Despite the absence of a structured training program, the study findings indicate teachers' enthusiasm for adopting GeoGebra. The study underscores the need for the Department of Basic Education to enhance support to address potential obstacles and the importance of aligning GeoGebra training with existing guidelines for integrating information and communication technologies within the Department of Basic Education and school management. In summary, this study provides valuable insights into how professional development impacts high school mathematics teachers' incorporation of GeoGebra, with implications for the design and implementation of future programs aimed at helping teachers integrate technology into their instructional practices.