Factors that facilitate and impede teachers’ implementation of professional development learning in their practice: implications for school leaders

Author(s):

Helen O'Sullivan(presenting / submitting)Dorothy McMillan Barbara Mc McConnell

Conference:

ECER 2011

Network:

1. Continuing Professional Development: Learning for Individuals, Leaders, and Organisations

Format:

Paper

Session Information

01 SES 01 B, Facilitation of and Impediments to CPD

Paper Session

Time:

2011-09-13

13:15-14:45

Room:

JK 31/239,1 FL., 25

Chair:

Helen O'Sullivan

Contribution

The key questions that guide the research are:

a) What are the factors that influenced/motivated teachers’ uptake of professional learning opportunities?

b) What did they learn and what factors in the programmes facilitated/impeded that learning?

c) What are the factors that influenced/motivated teachers’ follow through on professional development in changing practice: at personal level, professional development level, school level and system level?

1. Theoretical Framework:

Guskey (2006) claims that one of the reasons why teacher professional development has not resulted in changed classroom practice and student learning outcomes is that the factors that motivate teachers have not been considered. In addition the OECD TALIS report (2009) raises a number of questions around the lack of incentives for teachers in undertaking professional development. TALIS (2009) also highlights that those teachers who undertake university level professional development believe it to have greater impact on their practice than other professional development. Finally, research also highlights that unless schools offer a supportive learning environment to embed learning in practice, then the effects of professional development are limited (Joyce and Showers, 2002). This project starts to explore these issues with a group of teachers who are motivated enough to undertake and pay for professional development at university level.

2. Research Objectives

This research aims to explore the issues that impact on Irish teachers’ (North and South) follow through on, and implementation of, learning from professional development programmes in their practice. In doing so, the researchers begin with the teachers own perceptions and experiences of professional development as they identify the factors that act as motivators/facilitators to implementing learning in practice and also those factors that demotivate/impede such change

Method

Stage 1: A thorough review of the literature relating to teachers’ perceptions of, implementation of and motivation in relation to professional development. Stage 2: Data Collection – a mixed methods approach will be taken: Qualitative: At least two focus groups, one from Northern Ireland and one from Republic of Ireland will be convened with a view to adopting a grounded theory approach to provide original data. The findings from these focus groups will then inform the design of the survey. Quantitative: Survey based on review of the literature, national contexts and focus group findings. Participants: Practicing qualified teachers on post-graduate courses in Trinity College Dublin and Stranmillis University College Data Analysis: 1. Factor analysis in the case of the quantitative data of the survey using SPSS software 2. Thematic coding in the case of the qualitative data. 3. Path analysis. Ethical Considerations: All aspects of the research will be conducted in accordance with the ethical guidelines of both institutions (TCD and SUC).

Expected Outcomes

Expected Outcomes/results (up to 200 words) i. A comprehensive description of Irish teachers' perceptions of what constitutes professional development the factors influencing their uptake of professional development opportunities. ii. A comparative view of the similarities and differences in those factors north and south of the country. iii. An in-depth presentation of the personal, school, professional and system wide factors impacting on implementation in practice as well as factors specific to the models and approaches of the professional development programmes themselves.

References

Guskey, T. R. (2002), 'Professional Development and Teacher Change'. Teachers and Teaching; theory and practice, 8 (3), 381-391. Joyce, B. and Showers, B. (2002), Student Achievement through Staff Development (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD. OECD. (2009), TALIS, Teaching and Learning International Survey. Paris: OECD. Wiliam, D. and Thompson, M. (2007), Tight but Loose: A Conceptual Framework for Scaling Up School Reforms, Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Chicago, IL

Author Information

Helen O'Sullivan (presenting / submitting)

Trinity College Dublin

School of Education

Greystones, County Wicklow

Dorothy McMillan

Stranmillis University College, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Barbara Mc McConnell