State Policy for Teacher Professional Development in the Context of Externship Education for Ukrainian Students Abroad: Challenges and Prospects

Teachers' professional development and educational policies are two phenomena that significantly affect stakeholders in education. Related research has emphasized that these policies are mostly in striking contrast with long-standing perceptions of the status of profession, values, beliefs and norms of the teachers. This research is to evaluate teachers' opinions in terms of the policy, the procedures, the criterias, the effects on teaching professional ethics and the suggestions regarding "Teaching Career Steps Examination" implemented by the Ministry of National Education in Türkiye. In this study, teachers' opinions on these exams were obtained by comparing the type and scope of questions, difficulty levels, entry conditions and the regulations for the exams held in 2006 and 2022. The research data consists of the opinions of teachers, expert teachers and head teachers who work in kindergarten, primary, secondary and high schools in the academic year of 2022-2023. The study was carried out with the phenomenological pattern, which is one of the qualitative research methods. In the study, the opinions of 85 teachers were taken with semi-structured interview forms to collect the qualitative data. Moreover, a semi-structured interview form was created using the maximum variation sampling method, one of the purposeful sampling methods. According to the data obtained as a result of the research, it was concluded that the majority of the teachers did not approve of the current examination system and that it caused discrimination in terms of salary increase and status.

<p>This research study was undertaken in Samoa, a self-governing island nation in the Pacific. The main purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of in-service training in implementing new curriculum reforms for senior history. This study sought to identify the barriers and facilitators of in-service training (INSET) workshops so that planning for future workshops can better equip teachers with the knowledge and skills to implement a curriculum. It also sought to obtain educators' views and understanding on any professional development policies. This study adopted an interpretive phenomenology methodology using a case study approach. Purposeful sampling was used to select the history teachers and Ministry of Education personnel for the study. Data was collected through the use of in-depth, semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed that although the teachers found the INSET to be effective, there were several barriers that prevented teachers from fully implementing the training into classroom practice. One of the notable barriers was the lack of support offered to teachers from principals and heads of departments in the critical stages of implementation. Another notable barrier, both at the school level and national level, was the lack of monitoring and evaluation of the in-service training. Teachers felt that there needed to be continuous and consistent monitoring and evaluation carried out by principals and Ministry of Education staff to ensure that the programme was being implemented effectively within the classrooms. The lack of monitoring and evaluation resulted in teachers reverting to traditional styles of teaching and learning. Another notable barrier was teacher quality. The success of any reform programme is heavily dependent on teachers and their willingness to fully and effectively implement a programme. This study found that teachers' lack of interest and motivation resulted in the curriculum not being implemented effectively into classroom practice. In trying to minimise the various problems and difficulties of centrally-planned INSET and professional development activities, the local policy on teacher training is a shift towards school-based training. This study found that teacher's professional development was more effective and relevant if it focused on developing their training needs within their own environments.</p>

The increasing social and cultural diversity of contemporary societies has positioned schools as strategic spaces for nurturing inclusive attitudes and managing the challenges of pluralism. Many schools still face obstacles such as limited teacher readiness, inadequate curriculum representation of diversity, and school cultures that are not fully supportive of inclusive practices. This study aims to analyze school strategies in fostering students’ inclusive dispositions in response to pluralistic challenges. The research employed a descriptive qualitative approach through library research, using purposive sampling to select relevant scientific literature. Data were analyzed using an interactive model that involved data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings indicate that participatory learning strategies, the application of Universal Design for Learning, and project-based learning are effective in strengthening students’ inclusive attitudes, empathy, and tolerance. The role of teachers as role models, the development of inclusive school culture, and active community involvement were identified as key supporting factors for successful inclusive education. The implications of this study highlight the importance of synergy between teacher professional development, curriculum adaptation, and school policy reinforcement to establish equitable, inclusive, and sustainable educational practices in pluralistic contexts.

This study intends to analyze the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) policy provision for community schools’ teachers in Nepal. Specifically, this paper examines the policy text, teachers’ understanding, local practices, and how policies affect their professional lives. I adopted the qualitative research design to explore the subjective experiences of teachers. The unstructured interview was administered with three community school teachers. Along with the TPD policy document was analyzed to explore the policy provision on teacher training was analyzed. This study indicates that the teacher professional development framework emphasizes giving the competency-based training package in two phases for teachers. Teachers are perceiving positively to this training program, positively in the development of professional skills, viz., lesson plan preparation, teaching materials construction, and action research preparation. Though it was found that teachers are taking this training program only for their promotion purposes rather than improving the teaching and learning activities in the classroom. This study claims that the TPD policy is conceptually sound, but due to poor implementation, the policy does not seem to have achieved the expected results. However, it seems to have contributed to the professional knowledge, skills development and promotion of teachers in their professional lives.

This study aimed to investigate teachers’ attitudes toward the inclusive education of Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSENs) in public elementary schools. Using a descriptive-correlational design, data were gathered from 150 teacher respondents through adopted survey questionnaires. The treatment of data involved frequency count, percentages, weighted mean, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and correlation analysis (Spearman's rho). The findings showed that the teaching workforce predominantly consists of mid-career educators with moderate experience. Most teachers manage moderate to large class sizes, demonstrating minimal exposure to professional development in inclusive education, with the majority having attended only introductory sessions. Policy literacy remains fragmentary and recency-biased, as teachers recognize recent legislation but show limited awareness of foundational legal frameworks. Findings revealed that teachers consistently express favorable attitudes toward including diverse learners in regular classrooms, although their confidence diminishes for students with complex behavioral needs, autism spectrum disorder, and specialized communication requirements. Teachers perceived highly supportive collegial environments characterized by mutual assistance, open communication, and accessible professional relationships. Institutional backing, exceptionally strong collaborative attitudes, and professional development fundamentally shape their confidence, competence, and positive attitudes to inclusive education implementation. Furthermore, attitudes varied significantly across five dimensions, with minimal professional development exposure and fragmentary policy literacy identified. Teaching experience shows minimal relationship, and class size demonstrates virtually no meaningful relationship; training frequency shows weak positive associations. Policy knowledge significantly correlates with student-centered and administrative support attitudes but shows minimal relationships with collegial dimensions. It can be concluded that teachers demonstrated favorable attitudes toward inclusive education, particularly valuing peer support, administrative backing, collaboration, and training. However, confidence diminished when addressing students with complex behavioral needs and autism spectrum disorder. An action plan was made to address professional development gaps, specialized training, and policy literacy enhancement.

Inclusive education has become a defining priority of European higher education, expanding from a disability-centered agenda to a broader commitment to equity across cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic, and gender lines. While EU and EHEA frameworks articulate clear goals - removing barriers to access, participation, and success - the translation of policy to practice varies substantially across member states. This study aims to compare how inclusive education strategies are designed and implemented in EU universities, identify convergent and divergent national patterns, and assess which factors underpin successful institutionalization. Methodologically, the research adopts a comparative, multi-level qualitative design linking supranational, national, and institutional evidence. Primary EU/EHEA documents are triangulated with Eurydice, EASNIE, OECD, and Eurostudent datasets, alongside university strategies and equality charters. Seven country cases - Finland, Germany, Spain, Poland, Estonia, Romania, and Slovakia - were selected to represent welfare-based, federal, post-socialist, and digital-first models. A three-dimensional analytical model - Policy Coherence (PC), Institutional Integration (II), and Outcome Orientation (OO) - was operationalized into a composite Inclusion–Implementation Effectiveness (IIE) index via weighted geometric aggregation with an incoherence penalty; simulation scenarios tested sensitivity to institutional and outcome-focused policy levers. Results show that systems combining strong alignment with EU frameworks, robust university-level integration (governance, curricula, services), and verified outcome gains achieve the highest IIE scores (e.g., Finland, Germany, Estonia). Project-dependent or fragmented systems (e.g., Romania, Slovakia) underperform, although targeted improvements in II yield immediate and compounding gains; emphasizing OO aligns evaluation with results-based management and prioritizes measurable social impact. Inclusion is most effective when balanced, embedded, and evidenced. Coherent policy confers legitimacy, institutional integration ensures sustainability, and outcome orientation verifies social value - together enabling EU universities to convert inclusive rhetoric into durable practice.

Diversity across U.S. classrooms is on the rise which is leading to renewed calls for teachers to meet individual learning needs. Studies indicate the failure to address individual learning needs can lead to higher rates of student disengagement, off-task behaviors, and diminished learning outcomes. Differentiated instruction is an approach to teaching that meets the growing diversity of individual learning needs by considering students' readiness, interest, and learning styles. Differentiated instructional approaches help teachers meet individual learning needs by allowing them to modify instruction as needed. However, despite the apparent benefits of differentiated instruction, teachers are hesitant to abandon other educational models. Research has shown beliefs about student learning influence teachers classroom practices. If teachers do not possess beliefs supporting differentiated classroom practices, then calls for additional implementation may go unheeded. Thus it is important to examine teacher beliefs that may help or hinder implementation of differentiated instructional practices. The purpose of this study was to explore teacher beliefs connected to teaching, learning, and differentiated instruction in diverse classrooms. This study used qualitative case study methodologies to interview, survey, and observe the beliefs and practices of four white, female, veteran middle level educators operating in diverse classroom settings. Data analysis revealed the following themes: (a) differentiated instruction is considered essential, (b) teachers' diversity definitions influenced their differentiated instructional strategies, (c) the classroom environment influences teachers self-efficacy, and (d) professional development sessions support differentiated instructional practices. Conclusions drawn from this study may be used to help improve teacher practices--and ultimately learner outcomes--by informing teacher preparation and professional development, state and local educational policies, and curricular reform efforts.

<p>Teachers are often evaluated using tools that focus mainly on what happens inside the classroom, but these miss important parts of their work such as lesson planning, professional growth, student engagement, and community involvement. This study responds to that gap by examining teacher performance as a multidimensional construct shaped by personal, professional, organizational, motivational, and technological factors. Guided by Herzberg’s Motivation Theory, Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, and Danielson’s Framework for Teaching, the research used a mixed-methods design involving teachers from the Davao Region through surveys and in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and thematic analysis to strengthen the interpretation of results. Findings confirmed several core dimensions of teacher performance, including Personal Growth and Professional Development, Empowering Student Growth, and Strategizing Effective Teaching. Technological proficiency also emerged as an essential component of teaching in the post-pandemic era. The CFA further supported a reliable two-dimensional model of teacher performance, showing that teaching is influenced not only by individual skills and commitment but also by school culture, leadership, and available resources. The study emphasizes that supportive environments—those that encourage collaboration, motivation, and continuous learning—play a vital role in helping teachers thrive. This research offers a validated framework that can guide teacher evaluation, professional development, and education policy aligned with the PPST and the MATATAG Curriculum. It advocates for a shift from traditional, limited evaluation systems toward more holistic, evidence-based approaches that capture the real depth and complexity of teachers’ work.</p><p> </p><p><strong>SDG #4:</strong> Quality Education</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0499/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

This qualitative study investigates the instructional practices and learning outcomes of qualitative analysis in Ghanaian senior high schools. Data was collected through classroom observations, teacher and learner interviews. The schools' profiles and infrastructure revealed varying levels of resources, with School X having non-functional laboratory equipment, School Y lacking a functional science laboratory, and School Z boasting six well-equipped science laboratories. Non-participant classroom lesson observations were conducted to garner authentic insights into the teaching and learning of qualitative analysis. A total of 16 lessons were observed, followed by debriefing sessions with teachers to clarify instructional practices. The study aimed to explore the enacted chemistry curriculum in relation to the intended curriculum, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities faced by teachers and learners. The findings provide valuable implications for teacher education, professional development, and chemistry education policy in Ghana. By understanding the complexities of teaching and learning qualitative analysis, educators and policymakers can develop targeted interventions to improve student learning outcomes in science education.

Considerable research has demonstrated that teachers’ self-efficacy plays a major role in implementing instructional practices. Only few studies, however, have examined the interplay between how teachers’ self-efficacy and the challenges that lie outside their influence are related to their implementation of cognitive-activation strategies (CASs), especially in science classrooms. Using the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study 2015 data from science teachers in Grades 4, 5, 8, and 9, we explored the extent to which teachers’ self-efficacy in science teaching and the perceived time constraints explained variations in the enactment of general and inquiry-based CAS. Findings from the overall sample showed that highly self-efficacious teachers reported more frequent implementation of both general and inquiry-based CAS, whereas those who perceived strong time constraints reported a less frequent use of inquiry-based CAS. These relationships also existed across grade levels, except on the relations between perceived time constraint and inquiry-based CAS, which was only significant for the science teachers in Grade 9. We discuss these findings in light of variations in the core competencies of science curriculum, teachers’ competences, and the resources for science activities between primary and secondary education. We also point to the theoretical implications of this study for enhancing the conceptual understanding of generic and specific aspects of CAS and the practical implications for teacher education, professional development, and educational policy.

The rapid integration of information and communication technology (ICT) into education has significantly transformed teaching practices, often challenging veteran teachers trained in pre-digital pedagogies. This narrative inquiry examined the lived experiences of older teachers as they adapted to digital tools in classroom instruction. The study aimed to explore teachers’ anxieties, coping strategies, moments of achievement, and perceptions of self-efficacy during this transition. Data were collected through in-depth narrative interviews with veteran teachers working in secondary-level institutions. Using narrative analysis, the study identified patterns across participants’ stories while preserving individual voices. Findings revealed initial resistance and technological anxiety, followed by gradual adaptation facilitated by peer support, institutional pressure, and experiential learning. Teachers reportedincreased confidence over time, though concerns about workload and identity persisted. The study concluded that veteran teachers’ adaptation to ICT was not merely technical but deeply emotional and identity-driven. Understanding these experiences is essential for designing supportive professional development and inclusive digital education policies.

This study aims to solve problems related to the policy of Teacher Professional Development (TPD) program. This research produces a syllabus of in-office TPD for the German language to solve problems faced in the field; it is necessary to provide provision and preparation for lecturers so that the preparation and implementation of learning have the same standards and goals and the percentage of pedagogic material is more than the professional content. Meanwhile the composition of the competency test is otherwise. In this study, a new policy of TPD is formulated based on 21st century competencies and 21st century learning models that have been successfully applied in Australia, namely a life skills-based learning approach, or known as life- based learning. This framework has become the flagship program for learning innovation at the State University of Malang. The research employed a research and development method that begins with problem identification or problem formulation. The syllabus design is created and developed based on performance and needs analysis, and oriented to the principles of teacher training in the 21st century. These principles are reflected in the syllabus which contains pegadodic competences, professional competence, the ability to use digital media through blended learning and digital-based learning. Based on the results of the validation by German learning experts and suggestions from users, it can be concluded that the PPG German syllabus design is feasible to use. Nevertheless, it is necessary to refine the time allocation according to the needs and clarity of evaluation and assessment.

The development of school management is not just a trend, but a real need. The new changes in the environment demands schools of a new type, managers are able to realize the mission of the school and who have a vision for its development, and who are able to establish a good strategy for the successful creation of the school policy. Particularly important is that, they can create a team and a climate of high expectations for success, both with teachers and students.If the mission of a school reflects its present, and its vision is its future, then the school development policy defines the strategy for reaching the vision. But before approaching vision, it is necessary to face the real picture of the weaknesses, since the vision is for the purpose of improving.Self-evaluation is the basis for autonomy in creating development politics, organizing and implementing the main priorities of one school. It enables wholeness in understanding the preference problems, but how efficient we could solve them, in order to improve the quality in education and the work of the school completely.Mainly, it is oriented in the work and achievements of the Manager and his team, the teachers and students in the school, but also to the work of the administration, accounting and technical personnel. Self-evaluation is used as an integral mechanism for improving the quality of education in almost all European countries. They have a positive experience regarding the efficient improvement of the quality of education.The self-evaluation covers the following areas: Organization and realization of teaching and learning, Achievements of students, Professional development of teachers, Professional development of teachers, professional associates, educators and management staff, School management, Communications and public relations, School climate and culture, Cooperation with parents and the local environment. The process of self-evaluation implemented at the end of each second school year, especially in education of students with visual impaired.The aims of the paper are complex are refer to five target groups: Manager, members of School board, teachers, parents, students with visual impairment and its direction is to present their opinions and orientations about the question how and how much self-evaluation in the work of a school would improve the quality of school’s development politics, respectively the work of a school as a whole.The research uses the descriptive method, the techniques of polling, interview and analyzing the documentation. The data obtained from the research are expressed numerically whereof nominal, ordinal, and interval scale of expression is used. From analyzing the results and the conclusions it can be point out that self-evaluation in school must have an exclusive development function which would provide successful realization on the set targets. The school development policy should be concrete, clear and realistic. It should be relevant to the school and which is most important to be feasible. It should stimulate and offer challenges.

Professional Development (PD) is a very important program should be done by teacher in the school or lecturer in the college, in order to upgrade their professionalism in improving their students’ achievement. There are some ways to upgrade professional development on teacher or lecturer, such as courses, conferences and etc. In Indonesia the profession as educators it can be teachers or lecturers are started to be noticed by the government, we can see there are some government’s policies to develop the professional development of educators as a strong and respected profession on an equal footing with other professions as can be seen from Law No. 14 of 2005 concerning Teachers and Lecturers who strive developing the profession of educator through legal protection. The professional development policy in teaching process, such as curriculum changes and other training activities have some bad and good impacts for the participants. Curriculum changes have bad impact for the teacher in the school, lecturer in the college, the students and stakeholders, they will have difficulty in understanding the new curriculum, because the government often changes the curriculum, actually they can adapt to the previous curriculum, the government changes the minister of education automatically the curriculum will change as well, so it will cause confusion for them in the process of learning..

There is a growing emphasis on early math education worldwide, yet some factors influence how teachers reflect this concern in their classroom practice. This study examined the content and frequency of math learning opportunities provided to preschoolers and the factors influencing these opportunities, specifically teachers’ years of experience and math-related beliefs. The study participants were selected using snowball sampling and comprised 320 prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers from various geographic locations across Turkey. An online survey was used to obtain data from the teachers on their demographics, beliefs and frequency of math teaching. The findings showed that the teachers taught math on average once or twice weekly. They stated that most activities focused on geometry, numbers and patterns. The teachers with at least 5 years of experience taught math more frequently than those with less than 5 years of experience. Furthermore, the teachers with more positive beliefs about teaching and learning math taught math more frequently. Implications for both educational policy and professional development of teachers are discussed.