Generating leading practices through professional learning

The purpose of this article is to bring together findings developed from the Schools and Continuing Professional Development in England – State of the Nation Study. This large-scale national study, commissioned by the Training and Development Agency for Schools, investigated the range and kinds of continuing professional development (CPD) activities in which teachers at primary and secondary schools in England participate and the kinds of support provided by schools. Teachers’ professional learning practices and perspectives were researched in relation to three main themes: the benefits, status and effectiveness of CPD; the planning and organization of CPD; and access to CPD. The research was based on a review of the UK literature related to teachers’ CPD for the period 2004–2007, qualitative research (school snapshots) at nine primary and three secondary schools, and a survey of a national representative sample of teachers. Our analysis concludes that teachers’ professional learning in England is generally ineffective and lacks school-level systems and supports. As such, the potential of teachers’ professional learning for enhancing the quality of classroom teaching and learning in schools remains largely untapped.

ABSTRACTAlthough teachers’ commitment to continuous professional learning is crucial for high quality education, research shows that this learning cannot be taken for granted. To better understand how teachers’ learning at work can be supported, this study investigates how effects of job demands (i.e. work pressure and emotional pressure) and job resources (i.e. task autonomy, transformational leadership, and collegial support) on teachers’ learning commitment (i.e. learning frequency and engagement) can be explained by basic psychological need satisfaction and autonomous motivation, as posited by self-determination theory. At two occasions, approximately one year apart, data was collected in a sample of 678 (T1) and 536 (T2) Dutch secondary school teachers. Structural equation models showed the consecutive positive longitudinal relationships between teachers’ experience of job resources, basic psychological need satisfaction, autonomous motivation, and commitment to professional learning. Job demands were not related to basic need satisfaction over and above the effects of job resources. Implications for how self-determination theory and the job demands resources model can mutually inform each other are discussed. In addition, implications for stimulating teachers’ professional learning in practice are provided.

Professional learning activities in the higher education institution of Ethiopia

This paper argues that the professional learning of teachers is shaped and conditioned by the circumstances, arrangements, and specificity of teacher professional development (TPD) learning activities or programs of a particular context or system. Specifically, this research reveals how practices of TPD programs in Indonesia influence teachers’ professional learning perceptions and practices. This research draws on a larger multiple-case-study research that looks into the influences, and possible interplay, of teacher characteristics, TPD learning activities, and schools on teacher professional learning in Indonesia. This paper reports findings of the research question that investigates teachers’ perception towards TPD learning activities that they have been involved in during the 18-month period prior to participating in the research project. The results show that teachers participate in various forms/types of TPD learning activities that can be (1) formal, designed, and mandated by parties external to teachers; (2) informal, voluntary, and incidental, arising from teachers’ daily practices and interpersonal communication and interaction with others; and (3) can also be either personal or collaborative as a professional learning undertaking. “Restrictive” and “facilitative” TPD are the two conflicting themes that represent the influences of practices of TPD programs in Indonesia.

Professional learning in education policy should support school-based education leaders to engage critically with policy. Taking a broadly socially critical perspective on education leadership, we draw on theories of agentic leadership and Ball et al.’s (2011; 2012) typology of policy actors, including narrators, critics, and receivers to explore how leaders can reframe policy from a set of mandates into a flexible tool for equity and local responsiveness. Narratives from school-based senior and middle leaders who completed postgraduate policy courses reveal shifts in policy understanding and identity across four learning contexts: university, personal, work, and professional. While participants developed new perspectives and aspirations, their ability to enact policy was constrained by institutional hierarchies and cultures of compliance. The study highlights the need for professional learning that deepens policy knowledge and also supports leadership practice capable of reshaping policy engagement. It advocates for inclusive, collaborative, and contextually relevant approaches to policy work.

Teacher professional learning and development has recently come to the fore in Scotland as the government and bodies representing teachers view professional development and learning as important ingredients in the renewal of the profession in the context of the post‐McCrone Report arrangements for teacher conditions of service and remuneration. This paper considers the issues associated with the emergence of a framework of teacher standards and how some primary teachers engaged in professional development and learning in information and communications technologies relate to the aims and objectives of this framework in the context of their own and their students' needs.

There exists a large output of empirical research and numerous calls for reform in medical education (Cooke et al., 2010; Frenk et al., 2010). Relatively little of this research, however, to the best of our knowledge, focuses on the professional learning practices within medical education, particularly within the context of post-graduate medical education or PGME (Van de Wiel, et al., 2011; Van der Zwet et al., 2011). To this end, it is important that medical educators, administrators, and practicing Attending physicians are provided with a clear understanding of the professional learning environment of current medical Residents, the teaching methods used by Attending physicians and ultimately, the unique milestones, instances of critical learning, and the transitions within the learning process of specializing within a particular medical residency. The rationale, therefore, for this study was to attempt to fulfil some of the calls for further investigation into PGME in a gainful attempt to investigate the learning processes of medical Residents and practicing Attending physicians in the context of emergency medicine. Specifically, there was interest examining the lived experience of becoming a practicing emergency medicine physician. With this in mind, research questions were developed to determine 1) What is the nature of learning in the residency workplace, 2) How are learning experiences structured, 3) What are the residents perceptions of the learning experiences provided by the medical residency educational curriculum, 4) What is the significance of mentor relationships in medical residency, 5) What are the critical instances of learning in residency education, and 6) What unintended learning takes place? Using a hermeneutic phenomenological theoretical framework informed by Heidegger (1962), semi-structured interviews were conducted with eighteen emergency medicine residents (n=18) and fifteen (n=15) practicing emergency medicine Attending physicians. In addition to the interviews, five (n=5) observations were conducted of the participants in the emergency department to get a better understanding of the combined learning environment and workplace. These observations helped develop vignettes to illustrate several of the findings and contextualize the lived experience of the participants. This thesis provides novel insight into how ‘learning to become’ occurs within PGME and specifically, within the context of emergency medicine. Due to the large volume of data gathered during the interview and observation process, the findings of this study were divided by focusing one chapter on the Residents (chapter 4) and the subsequent chapter focused on the Attending physicians (chapter 5). For the Residents, the nature of their learning was characterized by a struggle for autonomy while establishing an identity as a physician. Findings from the Residents also focused on how they managed themselves within the residency process by handling multiple relationships, learning from mistakes and debriefing, engaged in informal teaching, utilized technology, and were involved with transitions as impactful learning experiences during residency. Findings from the Attending physicians suggest that the residency process was an opportunity to specialize within a chosen field of practice while being able to consolidate knowledge and work in a clinical environment. The findings from the Attending physicians, moreover, suggest that impactful learning is often facilitated by ‘important others’ who are often involved with teaching and mentoring. Perspectives are also shared on the use of media and technology in practice. Lastly, the Attending physicians describe transitions as impactful learning experiences, particularly as they exited residency and practiced as fully qualified practitioners. Revisiting the research questions, the lived experience of the participants can be summarized into four major discussion points; 1) learning in emergency medicine involves dynamic changes in identity, 2) learning experiences are highly structured, but are informal in practice, 3) mentorship is critical in medical residency, and 4) instances of critical learning are varied and personal. The implications of the participants lived experience ‘learning to become’ practicing emergency physicians, led to both pedagogical and methodological recommendations for PGME and emergency medicine, specifically.

The purpose of this article is to advocate for, engage with and disseminate to readers the concepts of teacher self-study as an important aspect of lifelong physical education teacher learning and education. Self-study has an important role to play by providing context and real-world understanding for physical education teachers who feel disconnected by continuing professional learning (CPL) practices. I argue that self-study, a methodological approach to understanding practice and professional learning that uncovers deeper understandings about the relationship between learning and teaching, offers opportunities that have only recently been considered. To conclude I present a rationale for self- study to be taken more seriously highlighting implications to CPL program development and physical education teacher education curriculum design and implementation.

Increased access to technology in school districts across the United States has sparked a growing demand for teachers and administrators to transform traditional teaching and learning models. These changes require a clear vision and plan to support educators through the transition. This paper presents findings from the second year evaluation of a one-to-one student laptop initiative in a large urban district in the United States that illustrate the impact of vision and planning on efforts to support changes in teacher practice, classroom culture, and student engagement. Additionally, this paper details how an outside evaluation has informed practice within the district and mobilized leaders to move towards a more personalized professional learning approach designed to leverage the power of technology. Strategies and recommendations for how to better support district and school leaders in using technology to enhance teaching and learning are provided.

To create an equitable and ethical learning environment in the classroom requires teacher candidates (TCs) to develop positive relationships with students and to reflect on who they are. Using the elements of Richard Milner’s (2007) Framework of Researcher Racial and Cultural Positionality, this article presents an account of an innovative practice in how to engage secondary education TCs in a reflection of implicit biases, and how to interrupt them to become more ethical professionals. This article takes InTASC 9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice as a point of departure and describes how a new teacher mentor piloted a series of exercises for majority white TCs to embark on self-reflection in their internship experiences in the secondary education classroom. In particular, they examined their cultural identities and how they may have developed into implicit biases that influenced their classroom management, planning, and instruction during their full-time internships. The impact of this reflective process moved beyond the self-reflection of TCs’ ethical practices and shifted to an outward look at mentor and school-wide ethical practice. An overview of the pilot to address ethical practice is provided.

This study explores early career academics’ (ECAs) professional learning in a Danish university’s Professional Learning (PL) program, based on problem- and project-based learning (PBL) principles. Using a complexity theory lens, professional learning is viewed as a dynamic process involving intrapersonal, behavioral, relational, and contextual sources. Data from 38 written reflections via a questionnaire and six in-depth interviews were analyzed to assess ECAs’ learning outcomes and challenges during and after the PL program. The findings indicate that the program advanced participants’ PBL and pedagogical knowledge, changed their pedagogical beliefs and teaching practices, and improved their collaborative skills and interactions with students and colleagues. Several challenges ECAs confronted are reported at individual and organizational levels, namely, time management, the learning process, the actual teaching and supervision process, institutional culture, and resource allocation. The study suggests ways for ECAs, program designers and organizers, and university management in promoting more effective professional development processes.

The emergence of mobile technologies has changed the higher education landscape. The expansion of mobile technologies in our classrooms presents new learning opportunities not just for students but also for teachers. While professional development is core business for higher education providers, over the years, increasing attention has been afforded to the growing cohort of casual teachers typically overlooked. Sessional teachers are at the interface of learning, yet have historically experienced limited professional development. A unique opportunity is presented to utilize the flexibly of mobile technologies with the needs of time-poor, provisional sessional teachers. This chapter explores this notion and what this might look like by offering two exemplary cases. These cases demonstrate ways in which to use the affordances of mobile technologies to deliver and customize professional development, thereby embedding professional learning in practice. This is an important strategic, pedagogical, and capacity building movement that currently seems to be lacking in uptake and explication of best practice.KeywordsSessional teachersProfessional development; professional learningOnline teachingOnline learning

The emergence of mobile technologies has changed the higher education landscape. The expansion of mobile technologies in our classrooms presents new learning opportunities not just for students but also for teachers. While professional development is core business for higher education providers, over the years, increasing attention has been afforded to the growing cohort of casual teachers typically overlooked. Sessional teachers are at the interface of learning, yet have historically experienced limited professional development. A unique opportunity is presented to utilize the flexibly of mobile technologies with the needs of time-poor, provisional sessional teachers. This chapter explores this notion and what this might look like by offering two exemplary cases. These cases demonstrate ways in which to use the affordances of mobile technologies to deliver and customize professional development, thereby embedding professional learning in practice. This is an important strategic, pedagogical, and capacity building movement that currently seems to be lacking in uptake and explication of best practice.KeywordsSessional teachersProfessional development; professional learningOnline teachingOnline learning

This qualitative study described the impact of mandatory professional development and school-based professional development as situated learning on English language and literacy teachers' professional knowledge and instructional practices in Qatar's middle school. A hermeneutic approach was used to determine the impact of both a school-based and mandatory professional development on teachers' instructional practices. The theory guiding this study was situated learning theory (Lave & Wenger, 1991) where professional learning is seen to be context related. Constructivism, andragogy, school leadership theory and reflective inquiry were used to inform this study. The study considered whether reflection and dialogue with other practitioners contribute to effective professional learning that improves English language and literacy pedagogical content knowledge. Data collection methods included individual interviews, a focus group, document analysis and journal writing to provide insight into teacher professional development. The results revealed that both mandatory (formal) professional development and school-based development (professional learning communities as situated learning) could help teachers make changes in their thinking and practice, which might have a bearing on results. However, with a few exceptions, most teachers found mandatory professional development less helpful. The results revealed that teachers need more comprehensive formal training in English language and literacy instructional practices. They also need more opportunities to experience school-based professional development as authentic learning. They also need to collaborate in professional learning communities and specific professional development programmes to assess students' English language and literacy deficiencies. These findings were of significance to both school leaders and teachers as they sought to increase meaningful professional development aimed at improving English language and literacy instruction in their schools. The study recommended rethinking the current mandatory English language and literacy professional development components within a constructivist framework and developing a set of clear guidelines for high-quality literacy professional development to improve teachers' professional learning.

In this article, we draw upon notions of occupational professionalism and organizational professionalism to interrogate the complex, and sometimes contradictory, teacher learning practices that characterize educational policy enactment. We apply these understandings to the Growing Success assessment and evaluation policy in Ontario, Canada, and in relation to how five educators in varied positions in a regional school district made sense of this policy through professional learning. Our research considers how the interactions between professionalism and teacher learning can be deployed to better understand policy enactment as part of educators’ work and learning. The research reveals that organizational professionalism, characterized by hierarchical modes of decision-making, standardized work practices, external regulation and accountability processes, limited teachers’ learning. However, at the same time more occupational professionalism cultivated forms of professional learning necessary for productive enactment of educational policy. In relation to teacher learning for policy enactment, more occupational professionalism was characterized by, inter alia, commitment to student learning, the generation of dialogue about teachers’ assessment practices, coherence in relation to the whole reform agenda, a focus upon the immediacy of practice, and accountability to one another. The research indicates that even as more organizational professionalism is clearly evident in policy reform, the occupational cultures fostered by districts and schools can have significant beneficial effects for how teacher learning is expressed as a form of policy enactment.