Professional development for teachers: a world of change

Abstract

As the industrialised world shifted to an interdependent and global society, formal schooling was quickly recognised as a major factor in achieving a knowledge society of lifelong learners capable of transforming and revitalising organisations. Teachers were encouraged to engage in learning together to improve teaching and, by extension, improve learning for the children in their care. This article identifies three emerging trends intended to broaden teachers' learning and enhance their practices through continuous professional development: glocalisation, mentoring, and re‐thinking teacher evaluation. The body of the article indicates how these three trends are unfolding in Australia, England, Latvia, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Taiwan, and the USA.

However, teachers cannot bring about necessary changes without organisational and systemic change; namely, collaboration with governmental agencies and other institutions. The authors suggest that transforming schooling in the twenty‐first century depends on education policies being supported by expanded teacher participation in education policy‐making, more coherent governmental policies across agencies, and collaborative, differentiated models for career‐long continuing professional development.

Keywords:

• professional development
• educational policy
• educational practices

Notes

1. The purpose of induction in the USA seems to focus on slowing teacher attrition rates or, conversely, improving retention rates of novice teachers who for decades have left the profession early and in alarmingly high numbers, especially those who begin teaching in poor areas (Ingersoll and Kralik 2004).

2. A brief comparison of programmes within England, Wales, and Scotland may be found in Earley and Bubb (2004). Induction efforts in Switzerland, Shanghai, New Zealand, Japan, and France were summarised by Wong, Britton and Ganser (2005). In 2006, Ontario, Canada implemented a New Teacher Induction Program for all novice teachers in the province.

3. More information is available from the General Teaching Council for Scotland website (http://www.gtcs.org.uk/Home/home.asp).

4. Scotland has chosen to allow mentor reports to contribute to the head teacher's recommendation concerning full registration status. This evaluative role of mentors is a contested aspect in the literature.

5. The original agreement indicated that the Accreditation Route for Chartered Teacher would cease to be available in August 2008. On 7 June 2008, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning announced that a new, flexible route to Chartered Teacher will be piloted and evaluated.

6. American teachers may recognise the Accreditation Route as somewhat similar to the requirements for National Board Certification.

7. Teachers who aspire to leadership roles must also show a similar commitment to CPD as they undertake a programme of development leading to the Scottish Qualification for Headship.

8. Changes in practice for alternative evaluations for principals and superintendents lag behind implementation of alternative evaluations for teachers (e.g., Stufflebeam and Nevo 1993; Dipaola 2001).