Professional Development Practices Research Articles

Understanding teacher identity in teachers' professional lives: A systematic review of the literature

AbstractThis article presents a systematic review of a substantial body of literature that considers the ways in which the concept of teacher identity has been used to understand and explore teachers' professional lives. The aim of the review was to go beyond the limitations of specific areas of teachers' practice to explore the broad and rich field of teachers' professional lives. Drawing on 412 articles from 2000–2021, the review demonstrates the growth in teacher identity research, particularly since 2010. Results from the review are categorised into seven thematic groups that span key areas related to teachers' professional lives: (1) Models and frameworks of professional lives; (2) Narratives of professional lives; (3) Becoming a teacher; (4) Contexts; (5) Communities; (6) Change, transition and conflict; and (7) Subject specialisms. The review reveals gaps in teacher identity research, such as: few research studies from Global South countries; a limited number of studies focusing on non‐core curriculum subjects, including arts, history, geography and physical education; fewer studies focusing on primary school and early years teacher identities; and a divide between identity scholarship and research, and policy and practice. The article concludes with a call for teacher identity research to be expanded and broadened with the aim to facilitate the progress of identity work in scholarship, policy and practice. Context and implicationsRationale for this studyIn the context of a growing body of research on teacher identity, particularly in the last decade, there remains a paucity of identity‐focused systematic reviews. Existing systematic reviews tend to focus on specific fields such as subject specialisms, teacher education and beginning teachers. However, far fewer reviews span the broader field of teachers' professional lives; this article responds to this gap in the literature.Why the new findings matterThe findings from this review are important in highlighting the most commonly explored areas in teacher identity research as it relates to teachers' professional lives. As such, the findings can inform policy and practice for teacher education and professional development at local, national and international scales. The findings also highlight gaps in the literature and the implications this may have on teacher identity scholarship.Implications for educational researchers and educatorsFirstly, educational researchers can identify key themes arising from existing teacher identity research studies. This can help them to focus on specific areas that would benefit from further research as well as providing them with a single space from which to draw on the existing corpus of research studies. Secondly, teacher identity research is important for the professional lives and practice of educators and this review provides educators with an opportunity to understand the teacher identity scholarly landscape and, in turn, apply findings from the research to their own professional practice.

A Pre-Experimental Pilot Study of School Counselors Completing an 8-Month Professional Development Program to Improve Self-Efficacy

Researchers have minimally studied school counselor professional development practices and their associations with school counselor self-efficacy. To fill this gap, we examined the School Counseling Fellowship Program (SCFP), which utilized an innovative professional development model to promote better classroom lesson design among school counselors. In a pre-experimental pilot study about the program with three data collections, results indicated that school counselors in the SCFP (N = 19) reported significantly increased overall school counselor self-efficacy (p < .001, ηp 2 = 0.54), as well as significantly improved self-efficacy in personal and social development (p < .001, ηp 2 = 0.50), leadership and assessment (p < .001, ηp 2 = 0.55), career and academic development (p < .001, ηp 2 = 0.52), collaboration (p < .001, ηp 2 = 0.36), and cultural acceptance (p = .006, ηp 2 = 0.25). Results suggest tentative positive support for the SCFP model to be used in future practice.

Teachers’ perceptions of less successfully organized professional development practices in mathematics: A study of nine secondary schools in Shanghai, China

Professional development (PD) for mathematics teachers in China, especially in Shanghai, has received growing international attention. However, most of available research concerning Chinese PD has focused on successful practices, and far too little attention has been paid to less successfully organized PD practices, particularly for mathematics teachers in Shanghai. This study aims to examine key aspects and underlying reasons for less successfully organized PD practices in Shanghai from teachers’ perspectives. The data were collected from 132 mathematics teachers in 9 randomly selected secondary schools in Shanghai through a questionnaire survey and follow-up interviews. The results show that Shanghai mathematics teachers perceived “time, duration and frequency”, “assessment and management” and “objective” as the three most unsatisfactory aspects in less successfully organized PD they attended, and they considered that organized PD practices were less successful mainly due to lack of assessment for the PD organizers and of necessary coordination between PD organizers at different levels. In addition, there were statistically significant differences in teachers’ perceptions of various specific problems in different aspects about less successfully organized PD between teachers with different demographic features, such as length of teaching experience and gender. Implications of the findings of the study to Chinese educational settings and beyond are discussed at the end of the paper.

Opening up conversations: Collaborative working across sociomaterial contexts in nursing in London.

To discuss nurses' use of networks to address nursing recruitment and retention in London, UK. Qualitative evaluation of the Capital Nurse programme reporting on 30 narrative interviews with executive, clinical and student nurses in 2019. Executive nurses within the Capital Nurse programme recognized the importance of sociomaterial contexts in the health and social care system in London and worked strategically across these contexts to achieve change. Supported through the Capital Nurse programme, executive nurses from health organizations across London initiated collaborative working to improve recruitment and retention. Primarily by designing and delivering sociomaterial products (organizational and educational) to support nurses to build a career in London. Drawing on ideas from actor network theory, in particular sociomaterial contexts, nurses' actions at all levels to develop and sustain networks to address nursing recruitment and retention across the NHS in London are described. Capital Nurse supported collaborative working both within single organizations and across organizations in London. There is evidence of change in how nurses across the capital work together to improve patient care, improve recruitment and retention. Findings may resonate with nurses in other settings who seek to address the problem of recruitment and retention. They show how nurses coming together in networks to effect changes in practice can work successfully. Nurses' use of networks led to novel models of communication and action to address the problems of recruitment and retention in London. We argue that sociomateriality should be considered outside the clinical practice setting, as part of nurses' professional development and organizational practice, that is how they plan their career, how they address recruitment and retention, how they communicate across organizations about nursing issues. This was an evaluation of a staff development project in London, which sought to elicit nurses' experiences of participation in Capital Nurse.

Swimming coaches' professional development and training practices: an international survey.

This study investigated swim coaches' perceptions of professional development issues and current training practices according to their coaching experience, education level, and gender. An online survey (January-April 2022) was completed by 123 swim coaches (96 male/27 female) of competitive swimmers based in 41 countries. The survey consisted of 36 questions divided into six sections: (1) background information, (2) developing swim coaching through learning, (3) self-evaluation, (4) interpersonal-intrapersonal interactions, (5) life skills, and (6) analyzing swimming performance. Pearson chi-square assessed the relationship between the frequency of responses and professional background and gender. The survey results indicated that swim coaches' educational level is potentially one of the most influential parameters affecting the coaches' perceptions about their own professional development. The data presented may be used for the future design of coach education programmes as they advance current knowledge on understanding psycho-social issues related to professional development and training perceptions involved in the competitive swimming environment.

Investigating University EFL Teachers’ Perception, Practice, and Challenges in Self-Initiated Professional Development

The topic of self-initiated professional development has garnered increasing attention among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers who are motivated to identify and address gaps in their professional development. This study aimed to investigate the perceptions, practices, and challenges of EFL teachers at Addis Ababa Science and Technology University with regard to self-initiated professional development. The participants consisted of 35 EFL instructors with 12 holding PhD degrees and the remaining 23 holding MA degrees at Addis Ababa Science and Technology University. The study adopted a concurrent mixed methods research design, utilizing both a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews for data collection. The study employed a total population sampling method and conducted semi-structured interviews with four randomly selected EFL teachers. Data analysis was performed separately for the questionnaire and interview data, followed by a mixed analysis to triangulate and corroborate the results. The findings revealed that the majority of the EFL teachers had a positive perception of self-initiated professional development, which was reflected in their practice of self-monitoring and analyzing critical incidents. However, the teachers did not engage in practices such as keeping a teaching journal, conducting action research, reflecting on their teaching, or developing a teaching portfolio. The challenges to self-initiated professional development were identified as lack of commitment, collaboration among colleagues, communication, and institutional support. This study highlights the potential of self-initiated professional development as an alternative means of addressing professional development needs among EFL teachers.

Interrater Reliability of the Occupation-Based Practice Assessment

Abstract Date Presented 04/21/2023 This poster presents methodological research to establish the interrater reliability of the Occupation-Based Practice Assessment. The psychometrically strong tool is used in practice for professional development, reflective practice, and research. Primary Author and Speaker: Wendy B. Stav Additional Authors and Speakers: Kristin Compton, Sarah Jaworski

Findings From the 2021 Organizational Value of Nursing Professional Development Practice, Part 3: A Comparison of Pediatric and Adult Hospitals.

In 2021, the Association for Nursing Professional Development commissioned a national study to examine relationships between nursing professional development (NPD) staffing and organizational outcomes and to compare NPD staffing in pediatric and adult hospitals. This report compares data from children's and adult hospitals, which indicate that children's hospitals, in general, have significantly more staffing resources, including NPD practitioners. Insufficient data were obtained to examine relationships between NPD staffing in children's hospitals and organizational outcomes.

How Can I Become the Best Teacher? ELT Instructors’ Professional Development Preferences

It is well acknowledged that one of the most significant things contributing to a successful career in language teaching is ongoing professional development. It is difficult to determine which tool is the most effective for the development of teachers because of the variety of current strategies that are still being debated in terms of their usefulness and practicability as professional development practices. Furthermore, the perspectives that teachers hold regarding professional development practices vary widely. In this work, various strategies for aiding the professional growth of ELT teachers at a foundation university in Istanbul are presented and discussed. Additionally, their preferences for varied practices that enhance teacher development were identified through a survey investigation. The data were collected through a survey questionnaire, and then they were analyzed to demonstrate both the similarities and differences in the approaches to teaching. The findings revealed that the degree to which teachers valued and made use of the activities differed significantly based on several factors, including their gender, age, years of teaching experience, the undergraduate field of study, and level of qualification. The findings could serve as the foundation for a proposal made to educators who are interested in developing their approach to teaching more professionally.

On the Multi-Domain Impacts of Coupling Mechanical Ventilation to Radiant Systems in Residential Buildings

In the current context of joint efforts towards the decarbonisation of buildings, integrating occupants’ comfort and health with latest technological advancements for energy efficiency is at the center of the latest development of research, policies and professional practice. Radiant systems are encountering great success since the low-thickness systems can also be used in renovation projects for both heating and cooling, while guaranteeing optimal comfort. However, dehumidification is often required for optimal radiant cooling operation with no condensation risks, and the great potential of mechanical ventilation systems to optimally address the needs for dehumidification, air renewal, health and energy efficiency appears to be far from its full exploitation in the post-COVID-19 era. The present paper aims at providing a quantification of the energy and financial impacts of the implementation of a controlled mechanical ventilation system (CMV) coupled to a radiant system in a typical residential case study building in Italy. The results show that the sole CMV may decrease primary energy demand and energy costs by more than 30% and contribute to an increase in the smart readiness of the building by 8%, but further incentive policies must be developed to cover the still high investment and maintenance cost.

Teachers' Professional Development at Public Campuses in Nepal: Policies and Practices

Teacher professional development (TPD) is the process of making teachers competent at applying the knowledge and skills they have attained in the classroom practice. TPD keeps academics up-to-date with the changing world and knowledge. The objective of this study was to explore policies and practices of teacher professional development in public campuses of Nepal. This study was qualitative approach with a phenomenological design. The participants of the study were three teachers of different public campuses of Rupendehi district selected purposively. The study revealed TPD policies as opportunities for teachers of public campuses deserve high consequence in the sense that they help teachers develop various kinds of professional skills, knowledge, new techniques of teaching. However, Public campuses are facing many challenges which include proper management TPD for faculties of their campuses and there is a gap between policies and practices in implementation of TPD in public campuses of Nepal.

Informing and developing professional practice: How international educational programs influence nurse and midwife professional practice

AimThis paper forms part of a grounded theory study that aimed to determine the impact of an international mobility program during a nurse’s or midwife’s pre-registration program on their subsequent nursing and/or midwifery practice. The focus of this article is on how nursing and midwifery professional practice was informed and developed through participation in international educational programs.BackgroundParticipation in an international educational program during a nurse’s or midwife’s pre-registration education is known to have many positive benefits, however, previous studies have highlighted a need to investigate long-term outcomes on professional practice.MethodsUsing Charmaz’s constructivist grounded theory approach, 13 general nurses, 2 mental health nurses, 3 midwives, and 4 dual-qualified nurse/midwives from 8 different countries were interviewed. Data were analysed following coding procedures, with three categories constructed. This paper focuses on the category conceptualised as Informing and developing professional practice.FindingsParticipants experienced different healthcare systems and being reflective and applying knowledge to current practice contributed to the development of professional practice. International educational programs were also found to assist in aspiring and cementing decisions for many regarding their future nursing or midwifery practice.ConclusionParticipation in an international educational program has an ongoing and positive influence on a nurse’s or midwife’s professional practice.

A Case Study of The Implementation of Teacher Professional Development among Primary Teachers

This study explores the strategies of improving the implementation of Teacher Professionalism Development. This study is a qualitative case study that involves three primary teachers in the Larut Matang and Selama district. Study participants were selected by purposive sampling. Data were obtained through interviews, observation and document analysis. The data collection process took nearly two months. The strategies identified are: (a) needs-based planning for effective TPD, (b) preferences for flexible and personalized learning, and (c) digital TPD delivery method. The findings of the study were found to have implications for the implementation of teacher professional development. This study contributes the added value to literature and practice in teacher professional development. In conclusion, a TPD Learning Model that based on the findings of this study is proposed to improve the implementation of teacher professional development, especially in Larut Matang and Selama district.

Contemplative practices and teacher professional becoming

ABSTRACT The last decade has witnessed increasing interest in the potential place of contemplative practices (such as mindfulness, meditation and yoga) in education. Regarding the lives and work of teachers, research in this area has focused almost exclusively on mindfulness-based interventions and related outcomes of stress, burnout and wellbeing, neglecting important questions regarding teacher professional identities, ethics and agency. This paper presents findings from an in-depth qualitative study that examined the role of contemplative practices in the professional becoming of seven beginning teachers using research interviews, ethnographic observation and participatory visual methods. The study explored how participants understood, imagined and enacted contemplative practices in their lives as teachers, revealing a complex ecology of personal histories, multiple practices, secular/instrumental and spiritual/transformational aims, the expression of which was mediated by intersecting personal and institutional contexts. Practices of contemplation acted as nodes of stability within the spaces of considerable vulnerability, uncertainty and flux which characterise early experiences of teaching. Specifically, they inflected professional becoming by providing a distinctive telos to teaching activity, making available existential ways of being grounded in calm, compassionate, presence and, for some participants, stimulated radical questioning of the nature of the (teacher) self, itself. These findings add much-needed complexity to debate about the uses of mindfulness and other contemplative practices in education, and provide an important new evidence-base for considering the role of contemplative practices in initial teacher education and professional development.

Musculoskeletal physiotherapists reasons for treatment selection and continuous professional development practices in the United Kingdom: A cross-sectional survey

PURPOSE: The aims of the study were two-fold 1) to explore the treatment modalities musculoskeletal physiotherapists are utilising and the underlying reasons why and 2) report current continuing professional development (CPD) practises and their perceived effectiveness. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional questionnaire, musculoskeletal physiotherapists in the United Kingdom (UK) were invited to complete an online survey. The survey captured respondents’ professional characteristics and their main reason for selecting a range of treatments sub-grouped into three broad categories; Manual Therapy, Treatment Modalities and Education Based Approaches. Respondents were asked to report their CPD practises and their perceived effectiveness. Data was converted into proportions with lower and upper limits of the 95% confidence interval (CI). Likert scale questions were treated as numeric variables with the mean and standard deviation (SD) calculated for combined responses. RESULTS: Of the 414 responders, 408 were eligible for analyses. The most common reason for treatment selection, based upon a combined total of 9792 responses across all treatment modalities, was content taught in ‘entry-level training’ (n = 2010, 20.5%, 85% CI 20 to 21), followed by ‘practice related courses or CPD events’ (n = 1241, 12.7%, 95% CI 12 to 13). ‘Self-reflection’ was the most common form of CPD (n = 404). All forms of CPD were considered ‘effective’ for developing knowledge and skills except ‘clinical audit’ and ‘journal clubs’ which were rated as ‘indifferent’ by respondents. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment technique depends heavily on skills taught in entry-level training. Despite research articles amongst the most utilised forms of CPD, a disconnect exists in its implementation as the main driver of treatment selection. A wide range of CPD activities were undertaken by participants and rated as ‘effective’ for acquiring and applying physiotherapy related skills.

The Push-Pull Mentoring Model: Ensuring the Success of Mentors and Mentees.

Mentorship is vital for professional development in academic research and clinical practice, yet it faces challenges due to a limited number of experienced mentors and a lack of protected time for mentorship that may disproportionately affect women mentors in midcareer who are doing much of this "invisible work." The Push-Pull Mentoring Model offers a potential solution by emphasizing shared responsibility and active engagement between mentors and mentees; it fosters a flexible and collaborative approach that is mutually (though not necessarily equally) supportive of both individuals' career goals, with mentees pushing mentors up and facilitating opportunities in their realm of influence, including but not limited to sponsorship, while mentors are simultaneously pulling them up. The Push-Pull Mentoring Model provides a promising alternative to traditional mentoring models and may help institutions address the challenges associated with limited mentorship resources.

Policies for inclusive education practices in teacher education in the United Kingdom and France

AbstractImplementation of any inclusive policy is dependent on longstanding conceptions, beliefs, and public discourses on schooling, learning, and including children in mainstream schooling. The adoption of inclusive education in education policies in France and the United Kingdom requires discursive support to reshape the meaning and content of teachers' work, duties and practices. Although inclusive education is widely debated, analyses of the variations in policy narratives promoting inclusive teaching in Europe are lacking. This article reports on comparative and international analysis of discourses and policies for empowering teachers for continuous professional development and inclusive school practices. The analysis focuses on an exploration of varieties of articulations, resources, and conceptual dynamics in the UK and France. These elements are discussed within the broader scheme of the teaching profession, with reference to the inclusive education paradigm.

Teachers’ Professional Development in Zambia: Perceptions and Practices

This study aimed to explore teachers’ perceptions and practices in professional development (PD) activities and the impact of PD on their professional growth. A descriptive mixed-method design was utilized, and the study sample of seven hundred (700) respondents from four primary schools was selected randomly. The results indicate that the program is charming and perfectly designed for the professional development of Zambian teachers; however, there are many flaws in the various steps of the program's implementation, which seem to fail PD activities in teacher training, as the transfer of exercise was found to be very ineffective. The results show that teachers perceived PD as being significant because it improves the teacher's pedagogical knowledge, teaching skills, and updating content knowledge. The results show that the predominant PD practices in schools were workshops, in-service training, and continuing learning. This study argues that PD enhances teachers' pedagogical knowledge, content knowledge, and career growth.

The effects of teacher’s emotional intelligence on team-member exchange and job performance: the moderating role of teacher seniority

AbstractThis study aims to examine the effects of teachers’ seniority, emotional intelligence (EI), and team-member exchange (TMX) quality on their job performance in primary schools. In particular, the mediating role of TMX on the relationship between EI and job performance, and the moderated mediating effect of teacher seniority on EI-TMX-job performance relationships were scrutinised. Data were collected from 387 teachers of primary schools in Taiwan. The SPSS PROCESS macro and structural equation modelling (SEM) were applied to test the hypotheses using SPSS 26.0. The research findings indicated that primary teachers’ EI positively affected their TMX and job performance. The findings also provide empirical evidence for the positive mediating effect of TMX on the relationship between EI and job performance, as well as the negative moderating effect of teachers’ seniority on the linkage between EI and TMX. Recommendations are made on the enhancement of teachers’ EI and the relationship of TMX in teachers’ professional development programs, educational policies, and practice.

Collaborative Actions to Enhance Effective Teacher Skills

The project of the "Collaborative Actions to Enhance Effective Teacher Skills in Ban Nong Hua Wua School" was one of the research initiatives that aimed at enhancing the professional development of teachers to align with the new educational paradigms of the 21st Century. The project involved practical activities aimed at fostering collaborative efforts toward improving the skills of teachers at Ban Nong Hua Wua School. The present study employed the Participatory Action Research methodology, which is comprised of four iterative phases of Planning, Acting, Observing, and Reflecting. The study was conducted over two cycles, each comprising one semester of an academic year, specifically during the Academic Year of 2022. There are three goals in research: (1) Positive changes would occur following the implementation of the project, both in terms of the teachers’ professional development practices and the enhancement of the teachers’ skills. (2) Learning outcomes, resulting from the project's participatory approach, would be evident at the individual, group, and school levels. (3) The knowledge gained from the practical experience in the context of Ban Nong Hua Wua School should be used as a model for the continuous self-development of teachers in the future. Six teachers participated in the research project and were the target group for development. The study involved three phases of comparison: before the first cycle of practice, after the first cycle of practice, and after the second cycle of practice. The findings were as follows. Firstly, the implementation of the project had resulted in positive changes as expected. The teacher-researchers had demonstrated a higher level of practice and had improved their Teacher Skills. Secondly, the researcher, the teacher team, and the school recognized the importance of the statement: "Teachers and schools must never stop learning, never stop developing themselves, and never stop developing their teaching practices that impact students' learning." Teachers should be learners themselves, and schools should be organizations that promote learning. Teachers should strive to develop themselves to keep pace with the rapidly changing society, especially changes in the field of digital technology. They should utilize the widely available new knowledge found on the internet to benefit their self-development and work. Thirdly, the knowledge, which was gained from collaborative actions, will be used as a model for continuous self-development in the future. This model illustrates the cause-and-effect relationship between the driving forces for change, the factors that hinder change, and the ways to overcome obstacles until successful results are achieved. It is called the "Collaborative Actions to Enhance Effective Teacher Skills in Ban Nong Hua Wua School Model."