Exploring the impact of professional development and professional practice on school leaders’ self-efficacy: a quasi-experimental study

Self-efficacy is extensively discussed within social cognitive theory. This study aimed to explore the impact of professional development and practice on school leaders’ self-efficacy in Cyprus. A quasi-experimental design involving 2 groups of novice secondary deputy head teachers was employed. All participants practised leadership at the time, but the experimental group also attended a leadership training programme. The School Leaders’ Self-Efficacy Scale addressing 8 dimensions was distributed to both groups at the beginning and the end of the school year. A within-group analysis indicated positive effects on self-efficacy regarding evaluating classroom practices for the experimental group. However, for the control group, effects were negative on self-efficacy with regards to evaluating classroom practices, monitoring learning, and leadership of continuing professional development. Between-group analyses revealed positive gains for the experimental group across the 3 aforementioned self-efficacy dimensions. Arising implications are discussed in the context of professional development programmes for school leaders in Cyprus.     

普罗化:小学教师劳动过程中的新特点——基于K校的民族志研究

随着我国社会生活的剧烈变迁,教师劳动也发生了重构,其重构的结果便是教师劳动过程呈现出"普罗化"的趋势,即教师劳动逐渐从复杂的专业活动异化为以重复大量简单劳动为主的技术性活动。本研究在对一所小学教师群体展开民族志研究的基础上,展现出在教师日常劳动中的普罗化表征:教师工作中缺失理念设计的话语权、专业工作碎片化、智识参与度低、深陷于日常繁杂事务。教师劳动过程的普罗化与教师专业化之间形成了一定的张力,让教师群体面临生存和发展的困境。     

Professional learning and development needs of women teachers in the Republic of Pakistan: a social realist perspective

ABSTRACT

This article, emerging from a wider study on the professional development needs of women teachers working in Catholic convent schools in the Republic of Pakistan, explores the perspectives and experiences of school leaders and Principals who developed professional development programmes. This area, which has been under-researched in the professional development literature, addresses the complexities and contradictions that the glocalisation of professional development can create for women teachers in developing world contexts. A social realist approach, using Archer’s morphogenetic framework, was employed to facilitate an exploration of the varied responses that professional development needs produce. The responses of former Principals and school leaders and their efforts to provide professional development for women teachers was captured, and revealed different agential responses. These responses included an acceptance of the realities of the education system in Pakistan and the role of women in that context, a desire to follow the ethos of the Catholic religious Order which was at variance with accepted educational praxis, and the changing expectations of society within Pakistan with reference to education of children.     

以职业生涯辅导为基础加强大学生思想政治教育

大学生职业生涯辅导在大学生思想政治教育中具有举足轻重的地位,其着眼于人的全面、协调、可持续发展,强调的是终身学习和自我教育,目标是促进青年成长成才并完成从知识汲取者到财富创造者的转化。因此,应围绕大学生思想政治教育工作进行职业生涯辅导,在内容上通过职业意识的培养。职业能力的提高、创新创业教育和社会资本理论的学习对大学生职业生涯规划予以指导,同时还要通过课程建设、校内素质拓展、校外学习实践和网络思政平台的综合运用等来对职业生涯辅导的形式予以创新。     

Addressing contradictions in teachers’ practice through professional learning: an activity theory perspective

ABSTRACT

This case study focuses on the professional learning of 38 K-9 teachers who engaged in a professional development (PD) programme in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) through collaborative action research (CAR). Through the lens of CHAT or Cultural-Historical Activity Theory, the author examined what teachers were learning, the contextual factors that influenced their learning and classroom practice, and the outcomes of this PD initiative. The changing activity system of the teachers is described, as well as how they addressed contradictions in their practice. Addressing these contradictions resulted in an expansion of their object and professional growth. The study contributes to a growing body of research in teacher education which applies CHAT as a conceptual framework to understand teacher professional learning and how interactions among activity system components influence teachers’ development and practice.     

引入6S管理模式 校企合作共创班级工厂

校企合作有利于弥补课本知识落后于社会发展的不足,使学校的教学内容与社会的需求同步,使职业院校的学生在校期间就能完成准职业人向职业人的转变过程,大大提高了学生的就业率及对口率。介绍企业6S管理模式如何在班级建设中实施、应用以及收到的成果。     

Who is taking MOOCs for teachers’ professional development on the use of ICT? A cross-sectional study from Spain

ABSTRACT

Research on the use of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) for teacher professional development (TPD) and the characteristics of their participants is scarce. This article presents a case of a MOOC initiative supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education aiming at teachers’ professional development on the use of ICT for teaching and learning. The analysis is focused on (a) the sociodemographic and school characteristics of the teachers participating in MOOCs; (b) their experience and beliefs about lifelong learning; and (c) the relevance of MOOCs for their work. By contrasting the characteristics of the participants in this initiative with the characteristics of the whole population of teachers in Spain, and a sample of Spanish participants in MOOCs not aimed at TPD, the article sheds light on the specificities of the teachers who use this way of TPD. The results have implications for the design of programmes aimed to develop MOOCs for TPD.     

Another development training programme? Education for practical engagement in extension and development work

Current development education in the United Kingdom usually offers participants from developing countries studies of what development is or should be. These programmes are well suited to the needs of higher-level planners or policy researchers. They contrast markedly with the urgent need for the knowledge of and skills in how to undertake planned economic and social changes. This paper suggests a possible route towards a practical, professional training for middle-and lower-level personnel engaged in managing development and extension services. Briefly, the paper notes the lack of educational programmes aimed at practical training and middle-level staff in Britain; and the role of education in the process of development. Current difficulties for locating these programmes in the developing countries themselves are discussed, and the outline for a suitably practical programme, initially based in Britain, is proposed.     

Swedish young people’s after-school extra-curricular activities: attendance,opportunities and consequences

Recent research demonstrates that, along with the family, the peer group and the school environment, extra-curricular activities are important contexts for young people’s educational and social development. This article is the result of a survey conducted with a sample of young people in their last year of compulsory school in Sweden and examines both who has access to the different types of extra-curricular activity and the consequences of their participation in the various programmes. As the results indicate, after controlling for respondents’ class and migrant background, their gender and their health, there are positive and significant associations between participation in certain types of activity (sporting, cultural and religious) on the one hand, and students’ school performance and educational expectations on the other. However, attendance at a less-organised activity (youth recreation centres or fritidsgård) shows a negative association with these outcomes. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the gender, social class and migrant background of students affect their rate of participation in many of these activities.     

Transforming critical and participative teacher research into communicative action: a possible direction for teacher professional learning

ABSTRACT

This paper is an account of how a group of Japanese English language teachers, who questioned current teacher professional education and English language education reforms, learnt to challenge the dominant discourse and find ways of conducting more democratic teacher professional education. It describes how those teachers, including the author, generated a collective theory on communicative competence through the process of their inquiry. It explains how they came to appreciate the action research methodology used for this study, grounded in reflective practice, which in turn helped to develop the author’s understanding of second person action research. It also tells how the teachers learnt to take the initiative in communicating the thinking which informed their practices to others and began to engage in ‘communicative action’ As a result of these outcomes, the paper suggests a potential new form of teacher professional learning aimed towards more democratic relationships between participants. It is hoped that the implications of the research findings could contribute to broader discussions about policy pertaining to teacher professional development.     

Language and learning advisors as a valuable but under-recognised workforce in higher education: a Bourdieuian analysis of their professional development in international education

Language and learning advisors (LLAs) play a vital role in supporting the academic development of a fast-growing population of international students. This paper tackles the professional development practices for LLAs and barriers to their professional development. Using Bourdieu’s concepts of field and habitus, the paper addresses the mutual interactions between the work environment and LLAs’ thinking and actions regarding providing language and learning advice to international students. The analysis of 44 semi-structured interviews with LLAs from 18 institutions shows that there was a scarcity of targeted professional development opportunities for LLAs to improve their expertise directly related to international students and internationalisation of education. Financial shortage, time constraints, casualisation conditions, managerial issues, academic to professional employment re-classification for LLAs and the ongoing marginalisation of LLAs have created unfavourable contexts for LLAs’ professional development. The paper points out the critical need to create better work conditions for LLAs, to ensure more investment in creating targeted opportunities for LLAs’ professional development and to provide more resources and attention to support their enactment of agency and development of professional capacities.     

Negotiating contradictions: educación among Dominican transnational mothers in New York City

This paper examines how a transnational orientation shapes Dominican mothers’ contradictory attitudes towards education in New York City. Through this ethnographic study, which draws on 36 interviews, community walkabouts, and participant observations in community-led adult education classes, we show how Dominican mothers struggle with conflicting values; on the one hand, they embrace the idea of schooling for individual advancement, integration in the US, and critical thinking, while on the other hand, they regret the diminution of a collective, family orientation and respect for parents. Overall, this study shows that contradictions are not a sign of confusion or denial, but rather a struggle to transform cultural practices that satisfy multiple worlds. A deeper understanding of these contradictions could help educators and educational institutions consider how these transnational tensions motivate parent engagement and their hopes for their children’s education.     

Increasing the impact of a Master’s programme on teacher leadership and school development by means of boundary crossing

In this case study, we investigate how the development and impact of teacher leadership through a Master’s programme can be supported by a design that encourages boundary crossing activities between schools and universities. The case study focuses on 42 experienced teachers from three vocational colleges who were promoted to senior teacher positions and participated in a Master’s programme. Through individual and focus group interviews, data were collected on how boundary crossing activities can connect professional development and school development, and on favourable conditions for effective boundary crossing. The study shows that strategic alignment and shared ownership between university and school, a collective approach with multiple participants from one school, and the use of boundary objects, created the conditions through which the Master’s programme could serve as a catalyst, stimulating innovation of work practices and development of new leadership practices. The leadership of the senior teachers initiated a development process that shifted from formally mandated forms of leadership to more culturally embedded forms of leadership. This case study leads to a new understanding of design criteria for Master’s programmes and boundary objects that can support the process of developing teacher leadership within schools by facilitating boundary crossing between university and school.     

Teachers’ professional development for differentiated instruction in mixed-ability classrooms: investigating the impact of a development program on teachers’ professional learning and on students’ achievement

The present article reports the results of a study performed to investigate and examine the characteristics of a teachers’ professional development program (Teachers’ Professional Development Program for Differentiated Instruction [PDD]) specially designed to support teachers in the design and application of differentiated instruction. Considering the characteristics of high-quality professional development programs (i.e. active learning, collective participation, closely related to the curriculum and the existing teaching realities, sufficient duration and continuance), the PDD aimed to facilitate change in both attitudes and practices of the participants. The study provides evidence of the success of the program, both in terms of teacher professional development and student achievement, and discusses the elements that made this program successful.     

乌托邦文学与反面乌托邦文学演变原因探究

乌托邦文学与反面乌托邦文学的演变都与乌托邦思想中两层固有矛盾的作用息息相关。理想与现实的矛盾以及个人利益与社会整体利益的矛盾使两种文学在不同的发展阶段各具特色。20世纪,当人们实践乌托邦理想受挫,个人利益取代社会整体利益成为人们关注的重心,乌托邦文学由于批判现实的功能弱化逐渐丧失了魅力,而反面乌托邦文学则顺应了矛盾发展的趋势,迎来了全面兴盛。     

“Yes And”: The Uses of Improvisation for Early Childhood Professional Development

In their teacher preparation and professional development training, early childhood teachers learn about the importance of play for children’s development; yet they are rarely taught how to play with children. Once in the classroom, many teachers do not interact responsively to children’s play; instead they ignore, interpret, or dominate the activity. Building on the theory that play is a collective activity similar in form to improvised performances, and that teachers can develop their ability to play collectively, this article presents findings from a pilot project that explored the use of improvisational (“improv”) theatre workshops as a professional development tool for preparing teachers to be better players. The analysis of the data suggests that the skills associated with responsive teaching can be taught through participation in improv workshops and that learning to improvise can give teachers new ways to understand their role in the classroom.     

Interesting and difficult mathematical problems: changing teachers’ views by employing multiple-solution tasks

The study considers mathematical problem solving to be at the heart of mathematics teaching and learning, while mathematical challenge is a core element of any educational process. The study design addresses the complexity of teachers’ knowledge. It is aimed at exploring the development of teachers’ mathematical and pedagogical conceptions associated with systematic employment of multiple-solution tasks (MSTs) in a “problem-solving” course for prospective mathematics teachers (PMTs). Our attention to teachers’ mathematical conceptions focused on the development of PMTs’ problem-solving competences. Our attention to teachers’ meta-mathematical and pedagogical conceptions focused on changes in teachers’ views concerning the level of interest and level of difficulty of the mathematical tasks. We differentiated between the systematic and craft modes of professional development integrated in the course. Systematic mode involved problem-solving sessions and reflective discussions on collective solution spaces. Craft mode involved interviewing school students. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of MSTs for PMTs’ professional development.     

Social Work in Higher Education: Internships in Opportunity Programs

ABSTRACT

Field education is essential to the development of professional social workers. Despite the significant overlap in social work’s and higher education’s missions and values, there is a scarcity of social work internships specifically in higher education settings. The placement of social work interns in institutions of higher education provides a setting where they can develop new knowledge and skills and increase their capacity to support college students toward academic success. This conceptual article discusses the role of social work in higher education and provides a model social work internship in an opportunity program, including its creation, development, challenges, outcomes, and future direction.     

The way collaboration benefits vocational students: a case study of a joint venture college in China

International collaborations in the vocational and training (VET) sector have grown significantly in the past three decades in China as well as in other parts of the world. Despite its growing prominence, it remains a largely under-researched field compared to the large volume of research on universities’ internationalization. In particular, it is unclear how internationalization practices improve vocational students’ academic and social competencies and readiness for employment. This case study was intended to fill this current gap in the literature by investigating a selected joint venture VET college in China. This study employed a wealth of data as evidence that international programmes could benefit vocational students in their English skills, professional knowledge, intercultural competence, and personal and career development. In additional to the opportunities created for vocational students, international programmes are expected to offer workplace experience and design a curriculum that suits students with different future plans. The findings of this study indicate that international collaborations in the VET sector have the potential not only to better prepare vocational students for life and employment, but also to address the challenges facing the VET system in developing economies.