Professional Learning Practices Research Articles

Physical Education Administrators’ Instructional Leadership Affecting Their Leadership Efficacy

This study explored the impact of teaching leadership on leadership effectiveness of sports managers at Hunan Normal University. Through teachers' evaluation of sports managers in promoting professional learning, building relationships, collaboration, organizational skills, and teaching practices, their effectiveness levels in content knowledge, teaching knowledge, classroom management, evaluation, and technology application were analyzed. The results show that there is a weak positive correlation between the teaching leadership practices of sports managers and their leadership effectiveness. Based on the research results, this paper puts forward suggestions on improving the leadership of sports managers, aiming to promote the professional development of teachers, strengthen collaboration, improve teaching quality, and ultimately improve students' learning outcomes.

A more-than-human approach to researching AI at work

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly manifest in everyday work, learning, and living. Reports attempting to gauge public perception suggest that amidst exaggerated expectations and fears about AI, citizens are sceptical and lack understanding of what AI is and does (Archer et al., 2018). Professional workers practice at the intersection of such public perceptions, the AI industry, and regulatory frameworks. Yet, there is limited understanding of the day-to-day interactions and predicaments between workers, AI systems, and the publics they serve. This includes how these interactions and predicaments generate opportunities for learning and highlight new digital fluencies needed. We bring social and computing science perspectives to begin to examine the prevailing AI narratives in professional work and learning practices. Some AIs (such as deep machine learning systems) are so sophisticated that a human-understandable explanation of how it works may not be possible. This raises questions about what professional practitioners are able to know about the AI systems they use: their new digital co-workers. We argue that a co-constitutive human-AI perspective could provide useful insights on questions such as: (1) How is professional expertise and judgment re-distributed as workers negotiate and learn with AI systems? (2) What trust and confidence in new AI-infused work practices is needed or possible and how is this mediated? (3) What are the implications for professional learning: both learning within work and the workplace and more formal curriculum? Given the early stages of this field of inquiry, our aim is to evoke discussion of alternative human-AI narratives suited for the messy—and often unseen—realities of everyday practices.

Insights into professional learning for intensive Block Model: Lessons from a participatory evaluation for capacity building

We share lessons gained through supporting an institution-wide curriculum innovation via a post-graduate professional learning program. At the inception of the innovation, an intensive Block Model (BM) was unfamiliar to both the institution and its professional learning facilitators. The Graduate Certificate of Tertiary Education was re-modelled with BM as the heart of professional learning so academics would encounter BM as students. The program modelled BM principles, reinforced by meta-conversations to provide students with a reflective, immersive experience. Through a participatory evaluation, professional learning facilitators’ individual reflections were distilled to generate collaborative insights into academics’ capacity building for BM. Their lessons inform strategies to cultivate institution-wide capability-building including their own professional growth. Lessons shape the study recommendations. Recommendations originate from effectively engaging time-poor, diverse cohorts. (1) In recognition of the ease with which students can fall behind, embedding strategies to manage their time and stress helps to maintain a realistic study pace. (2) Authentic assessments provide students with useful products for their teaching. (3) Peer-feedback and examples of students’ work exposes them to how their colleagues present their work and illustrates good BM practices. (4) Modelling BM principles must be reinforced by meta-conversations to provide students with a reflective, immersive experience of the pedagogical principals. We observed that well planned efficiencies for students often provide consequent efficiencies for staff. These insights are captured in a model for scalable institutional-based professional learning practice. Capability growth flourishes at the intersection of action, reflection and evaluation. Professional collegial conversations are the catalyst for developing context-relevant professional learning.

The local governance of Swedish schools in light of a new educational policy landscape empirical exploration and theoretical elaboration

ABSTRACT In the Nordic curriculum theory (CT) tradition, questions linked to educational change and school governance have long been a crucial research issue. However, despite several decades of decentralized school systems, local school governance has been a highly neglected field of research. Considering the changing landscape of school governance in terms of re-centralization, where the state’s aim is to take stronger control of school outcomes, the conditions for local school governance have changed. Based on results from two research projects in two Swedish municipalities, and from a neo-institutional theoretical perspective, the aim of this article is to contribute to the CT research field by exploring and theorizing on local school governance. Four management strategies that local educational authorities (LEAs) employed to manage the schools could be distinguished: local school management via i) data use, ii) the standardization and formalization of schools’ quality assurance processes and routines, iii) quality dialogues, iv) professional learning and best practices. These management strategies and activities were mostly organized, and conducted within the scope of the LEAs’ quality assurance systems and were primarily built on normative and cultural – cognitive elements. A way to conceptualize this form of governance is through the concept of ‘local quality management’.

Reflective professional learning practices of Ethiopian primary school teachers: the gap between practice and theory

ABSTRACT This study explored the discrepancy between the actual reflective professional learning practice of Ethiopian primary school teachers and what has been voiced theoretically. The study employed a constructivist world view, which prompted qualitative methods of inquiry. The data-gathering tools used were in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs). The thematic analysis indicated that there exists a gap between the actual reflective practice of primary school teachers and what has been voiced theoretically. The absurdly low payment of teachers is found to be the main reason that demotivated teachers from engaging in continuing reflective practice to improve their knowledge and practice. Teachers seem to have lost passion and enthusiasm for professional learning activities, and they assume reflection merely for compliance purposes. This resulted in pseudo-reflective professional learning practice where the link between theory and practice is loose.

Asset and deficit discourses of student ideas in science formative assessment co‐design

AbstractThe Framework for K‐12 Science Education set an ambitious goal of broadening participation in science learning for all students. Meeting this vision will involve supporting teachers in making meaningful connections with the cultural and linguistic resources their students bring to school; in essence, developing pedagogies that frame these resources as assets important to learning. In this manuscript, we present a qualitative case study of one community of high school science teachers who participated in a year‐long professional learning focused on formative assessment co‐design related to natural selection. Findings show that the process of formative assessment co‐design surfaced both deficit‐ and asset‐based statements about students' contributions. Teachers were more likely to share deficit‐based statements as compared to facilitators, whose statements were more asset‐based. This was particularly true with reference to students' prior knowledge and linguistic resources. At the same time, our analysis suggests that teachers were more likely to share more asset‐based framings of learners when practicing for and reflecting on enactment of formative assessment tasks. These findings suggest that supportive co‐design environments can encourage teachers to take more asset‐oriented views of learners. We discuss the implications of these findings for professional learning and science classroom practice.

Professional learning for praxis development: reflections

ABSTRACT Praxis development remains invisible in many discussions of professional learning because professional educators take praxis development for granted as an indissoluble part of education and educational work. This special issue provides new insights into professional learning for praxis development, and about the conditions that enable and constrain the development of educational and social practices through professional learning initiatives. In the lead article in this special issue, Salo, Francisco and Olin Almqvist outline key features of professional learning for praxis development, which are extended in the later article by Francisco, Forssten Seiser and Olin Almqvist. Together, these important features are: power and solidarity, trust, recognition, agency, reflection, collaboration, and time. These are key ideas to be kept in mind in research and practice in professional learning, and in the organisation and administration of professional learning initiatives.

Devised theatre methodology to promote creativity in school

ABSTRACT This study examines the use of a devised theatre methodology to develop more creativity in the professional learning community and among students. Data from focus groups in an action research project in an upper secondary school in Norway have been thematically analysed. Using the practice architecture theory, we identified three different practices: ‘creative practice’, ‘collective creative practice’ and ‘school practice’. The results show that devising methodology in the form of different production strategies, process orientation and a system of collective creative work promotes creativity in the professional learning community and for students. In addition, the methodology can be used to develop a teaching practice that promotes planning, imagination, and spontaneity in students, and contribute to a more equal guiding role in the form of guided improvisation from the teacher. The methodology can help teachers to foster discussions, understandings, develop concrete creative collaborations and promote democratic processes. The study points to tensions in teachers’ development of ‘creative practice’ and ‘collective creative practice’ in the face of a traditional ‘school practice’. The results are discussed using theories of devised theatre methodology, creativity, professional learning communities and practice architecture theory.

Insights into professional learning for intensive Block Model: Lessons from a participatory evaluation for capacity building

We share lessons gained through supporting an institution-wide curriculum innovation via a post-graduate professional learning program. At the inception of the innovation, an intensive Block Model (BM) was unfamiliar to both the institution and its professional learning facilitators. The Graduate Certificate of Tertiary Education was re-modelled with BM as the heart of professional learning so academics would encounter BM as students. The program modelled BM principles, reinforced by meta-conversations to provide students with a reflective, immersive experience. Through a participatory evaluation, professional learning facilitators’ individual reflections were distilled to generate collaborative insights into academics’ capacity building for BM. Their lessons inform strategies to cultivate institution-wide capability-building including their own professional growth. Lessons shape the study recommendations. Recommendations originate from effectively engaging time-poor, diverse cohorts. (1) In recognition of the ease with which students can fall behind, embedding strategies to manage their time and stress helps to maintain a realistic study pace. (2) Authentic assessments provide students with useful products for their teaching. (3) Peer-feedback and examples of students’ work exposes them to how their colleagues present their work and illustrates good BM practices. (4) Modelling BM principles must be reinforced by meta-conversations to provide students with a reflective, immersive experience of the pedagogical principals. We observed that well planned efficiencies for students often provide consequent efficiencies for staff. These insights are captured in a model for scalable institutional-based professional learning practice. Capability growth flourishes at the intersection of action, reflection and evaluation. Professional collegial conversations are the catalyst for developing context-relevant professional learning.

Towards practice-based professional development by teacher educators

Teacher education reform has advocated the implementation of widely espoused pedagogic changes in many contexts, particularly in Sub-Saharan African countries. This paper focused on the central agents in the reform process, i.e., teacher educators. Framed within the emerging conceptualizations of practice-based professional development of teacher educators, the study explores perspectives for improving educators’ teaching based on the self-study experiences of the first author while supporting the reflective practices of a group of student teachers in Eritrea. Self-study methods and tools including interactive discussions among colleague educators and critical friends, journaling, and course artifacts were used while developing the findings. The findings identified the dynamics of how researching situated concerns of teaching and learning frames problems of practice and also invokes sources and situations for developing motivations of educators in maintaining inquiry and improvement stances. We argue that such a dynamic is critical in productively engaging with teacher educators' professional learning in practice in similar contexts.

A YouTube video club for teacher learning: Empowering early childhood educators to teach STEM

AbstractA lack of evidence bridging the chasm between professional learning practices and commonly used, publicly available resources such as YouTube videos, remains a long‐term challenge in both research and practice. The study introduced a YouTube video club for female early childhood teachers in Hong Kong (N = 29) to view, analyse and discuss STEM teaching videos. The participants wrote reflections and discussed with peers to exchange views on teaching content and strategies. All participants completed pre‐ and post‐intervention surveys reporting their teaching beliefs, and five participants from the experimental group were invited for individual interviews. The questionnaire survey data were analysed using statistical analysis, while the interview data were analysed through inductive thematic analysis. The study, which was pre‐post quasi‐experimental, showed that the video club enhanced teachers' beliefs and attitudes towards professional practices in early childhood education. Qualitative analysis of teacher interviews revealed benefits and constraints of using YouTube videos for professional learning. The study transformed video clubs into a web‐mediated mode using YouTube, Google Classroom and Zoom. The results have implications for the design and implementation of video clubs in teacher learning programmes. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic As the largest and most popular video‐sharing service, YouTube hosts a wide range of freely accessible video types that can be used for professional education in various disciplines. There are worldwide efforts to improve early childhood teachers' ability to teach STEM. Video recordings of classroom observations have been used in the context of video clubs since the 1990s to support teacher learning. What this paper adds We introduced the design of a YouTube video club focusing on STEM teaching, in which the participants were asked to view and analyse video excerpts, write reflection as guided by the facilitator and discuss with peers in groups to exchange views on the teaching content and strategies demonstrated in the video excerpts. We extended prior research on video clubs by transforming video clubs into a fully web‐mediated mode using the technologies of YouTube, Google Classroom and Zoom. This design‐based study evaluated the design of YouTube video club in terms of affording and constraining teachers' professional learning in STEM education. Implications for practice and/or policy Results of this study can inform the design of teacher learning programmes using YouTube videos. YouTube videos can be used in web‐mediated video clubs to enhance teachers' professional beliefs, as well as the pedagogical content knowledge in specific learning domains (eg, STEM). More enhancements should be made to optimize the design of YouTube video club.

Rationalizing the Role of Teacher Leadership in School Development Towards Creative and Sustainable Development Framework

This research endeavors address the intricate interplay between teacher leadership and school development by formulating a robust and sustainable framework that optimizes the role of educators in propelling educational progress. The study encompasses an in-depth analysis of various dimensions, including teacher profiles based on age, gender, and years of teaching experience. Moreover, the research meticulously evaluates the teacher leadership attributes, intricately aligned with professional practice standards encompassing learner development, handling learning differences, cultivating an enriching learning environment, mastering content knowledge, adeptly applying content, skillful assessment techniques, meticulous instructional planning, effective employment of instructional strategies, dedication to continuous professional learning and ethical practice, as well as adept leadership and collaboration skills. This study further explores potential variations in teacher leadership attributes among different profile groupings. It also examines the extent of participation in school development, considering the active engagement in knowledge dissemination, curriculum enhancement initiatives, fostering teacher growth, and effective school leadership and management practices.

Research on the relationship between collective teacher efficacy and teaching innovation as a mediator

This study explored a mediation model among teachers of basic education on the Chinese mainland. Knowledge sharing was identified as a mediator between collective teacher efficacy and teaching innovation. 732 valid samples from the Chinese mainland were obtained. Three structured instruments were applied including a scale of collective teacher efficacy, a scale of knowledge sharing and a scale of teaching innovation. The responses were recorded using a 5-point Likert scale. Structural equation models were used to construct measurement and structural models. Collective teacher efficacy has a significant and positive predictive effect on teaching innovation and knowledge sharing. Knowledge sharing has a significant and positive predictive effect on teaching innovation and it plays a partial mediating role on the impact of teachers' collective effectiveness on teaching innovation. The mediating effect accounts for 29.03%. The results show that knowledge sharing can promote the positive impact of collective teacher efficacy on teaching innovation in basic education. This study provides new ideas for schools to improve teaching innovation that will create a new school-based learning environment for teachers to improve their professional learning and teaching practice.

Principal instructional leadership and its influence on teachers’ professional development at Vietnamese primary schools

ABSTRACT Principal instructional leadership plays a key role in promoting teachers’ professional learning and development. This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study investigating the principal instructional leadership in Vietnamese primary schools from the perspective of teachers and school principals. The study also examined the relationship between principal instructional leadership and teachers’ professional learning and development. The study was conducted at 12 schools across four provinces of Vietnam. Data included in-depth interviews with 12 principals and 24 teachers. Analysis of the data revealed that teacher professional development was highly recognised and respected by both the principals and the teachers. The teachers were generally satisfied with the principal instructional leadership in their professional learning and development. Moreover, the findings showed a positive effect of principal instructional leadership on teachers’ professional learning and development practices. These findings contribute to the body of knowledge on the status quo of principal instructional leadership and its effects on teachers’ professional learning and development. The implications of these findings provide valuable insights for policy-makers to develop appropriate policies and strategies to enhance principal instructional leadership capacity and the effectiveness of teachers’ professional learning.

Professional learning activities in the higher education institution of Ethiopia

Ample studies have evidenced that the professional development of teachers significantly increases the quality of teaching and improves educational institutions. Nevertheless, adequate studies have not been carried out on the professional development of higher education teachers. Most studies focus on school teachers. Hence, this study investigated the professional learning activities of university teachers in Ethiopia. A case study design was used in which twenty-four teachers participated in the study. A semi-structured interview was used to explore the learning activities used by the participants. The findings demonstrate that various learning activities are utilised, each driven by a different form of inspiration. The learning motives largely depend on incentives and are motivated by outside factors. University instructors' professional learning practices seem to require more advanced learning methodologies to maintain their learning that is underpinned by self-motivated learning.

Construction of Comprehensive Quality Cultivation System for Foreign language majors in Colleges and Universities——Based on the investigation of alumni of School of Foreign Languages, Wuhan University of Technology

By interviewing 50 outstanding alumni of the School of Foreign Languages of Wuhan University of Technology, the research analyzes the most recognized comprehensive qualities and abilities of foreign language majors by using grounded theory, in order to construct an overall comprehensive quality cultivation system for foreign language majors in universities, including the acquisition and cultivation paths of comprehensive abilities. We can draw the following conclusions from the research. Firstly, the comprehensive ability of foreign language majors can be divided into four aspects including ideological cultivation, physical and mental quality, and vocational skills. Secondly, excellent foreign language majors cultivate their comprehensive quality mainly through association work, interpersonal communication, professional learning and extracurricular practice. Thirdly, in the comprehensive quality cultivation system for foreign language majors, there are four sectors consisting of ideological-cultivation, habit-formation, talented-leading and targeted-education. Taking discipline as the core elements, colleges and universities should combine foreign language with various cultivation elements so as to promote the comprehensive development of foreign languages majors.

Norm Critical Projects in Swedish School Librarian Practices

In this article, we explore the practices of school librarians with a specific focus on norm critical pedagogy, a distinctively Scandinavian concept with a basis in critical pedagogies. In Sweden, norm critique is a practice, a pedagogy and a discourse. Our article offers examples of school librarian practices that deal with issues of sexuality and gender conceptualized in their work with LGBTQ+ literature from a norm critical perspective. We analysed semi-structured interviews with eight librarians in four secondary and upper secondary schools through the lens of the theory of practice architectures (Kemmis & Grootenboer, 2008). Our findings demonstrate how the norm critical practices of school librarians are enabled and constrained by arrangements within the school site, as well as by management, colleagues and professional learning practices. The projects carried out by school librarians that employ norm critical perspectives are both strengthened and challenged by collaboration with principals and other education professionals at the school site. When teachers challenge the views of librarians, they the latter have to re-think and re-negotiate normative positions. Hence, norm critical thinking is not only taught but also practiced in the everyday work in school libraries. This article argues that these norm critical perspectives and the librarians’ practices represent important contributions to the democratic assignment of Swedish schools.

Implications of Innovative Learning for Pendidikan Profesi Guru (PPG) for Increasing Professional Teacher Competence

The research aimed to study professional development through PPG Innovative Learning and its implications for increasing teacher competency. The aim is to get an overview of the implications of PPG's Innovative Learning on teacher competence. This study uses a particular research approach, namely, using qualitative methods to describe an incident. This research takes a sociological, pedagogical, and psychological perspective. Data collection methods include observation, interviews, and documentation. Data collection and analysis techniques used were data collection as well as data presentation, data reduction, and data triangulation. The results of the study show that Pendidikan Profesi Guru (PPG) was chosen as a solution to overcome these problems, in addition to recognizing the position of teachers as professional educators. Innovative learning continues to be developed to produce professional teachers who are adaptive to change. So, it was concluded that a new position's innovative PPG learning model demands students' readiness, talent, and seriousness to learn independently and with guidance. The implications for professional competence, professional learning practice, and continuing professional development can increase at advanced, appropriate, proficient, or proficient degrees.

Rural teacher attitudes and engagement with computing and technology

The purpose of this sequential Case Study-Mixed Methods research is to explore rural teacher attitudes toward, approaches to, and engagement with making and computational thinking during STEM professional development and co-teaching learning experiences. Specifically, we examine the professional learning needs of two rural, middle school teachers as they engage technology. Using the lens of cultural historical activity theory, this paper examines the ways in which teacher attitude about computing shifted throughout professional learning and instructional practice. Findings show three broad themes that emerge surrounding teacher attitudes, approaches, and engagement with technology: Anxiety, Independent Learner, and Integration. Additionally, findings suggest that teacher attitude toward technology can be moderated through the means of a more knowledgeable other who scaffolds teacher learning and integration of technology.

Talented Teachers’ Perceptions of an Intensive Summer Symposium and the Need for Differentiated Professional Learning

Effective professional learning (PL) practices are essential for promoting experienced and talented teachers’ continued growth, and ultimately, supporting student achievement, including gifted students. In this qualitative case study, we interviewed and surveyed 32 public and private school PK-12 teachers, an Executive Director, and a Board Member about their experiences while participating in a week-long summer symposium designed to enhance talented teachers' expertise and leadership skills. Teachers were identified as talented and nominated to participate through a selection process. The topics, delivered by education experts through lecture, small group work, and large group discussion, focused on executive functioning research, professional self-reflection, and leadership. Data analysis illuminated teachers' critiques and suggestions for improvement of the symposium and a preference for more differentiated PL approaches. We discuss key implications for future research and applications of our research to the growing need for differentiated PL in the field of gifted education.