The professional development needs of beginning and experienced teachers in four municipalities in Sweden

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic profile of the participants.

		All respondents		Up to 5 years of experience		More than 5 years of experience
		Frequency (N)	Percentage (%)	Frequency (N)	Percentage (%)	Frequency (N)	Percentage (%)	Difference depending on teaching experience
Age	−29	149	7.9	143	36.3	6	0.4	χ^2 (df = 4) = 761.48, p < .0001
	30-39	421	22.4	165	41.9	256	17.2
	40-49	611	32.4	53	13.5	558	37.5
	50-59	503	26.7	30	7.6	473	31.7
	60+	200	10.6	3	0.8	197	13.2
Gender	Female	1480	80	300	76.5	1180	80.4	χ^2 (df = 2) = 3.18, p = n.s.
	Male	379	20	92	23.5	287	19.6
	Other	1	.04	0	0	1	0.1
Sector	Preschool (0–5)	358	19	78	19.9	280	18.8	χ^2 (df = 2) = 1.17, p = n.s.
	Primary (6–9) & Middle school (10–12)	892	47.4	192	48.8	700	47
	Secondary (13–15) and High School (16–18)	632	33.6	123	31.3	509	34.2
Teaching experience	First year	62	3.3	62	15.7	-
	1-2 years	116	6.2	116	29.4	-
	3-5 years	216	11.5	216	54.8	-
	6-10 years	306	16.2	-	-	306	20.5
	11-15 years	330	17.5	-	-	330	22.2
	16-20 years	314	16.7	-	-	314	21.1
	20 years +	540	28.7	-	-	540	36.2

Table 2. Reasons for not responding to the questionnaire.

Reasons given by teachers	Number	(%)
Total number of teachers invited to participate	5070	(100)
Cause not stated	2682	(52.90)
Emails automatically rejected (ie. ‘Recipient address rejected’)	306	(6.04)
Retired, or just about to retire	64	(1.26)
Inaccurate email addresses (could not be sent)	29	(.57)
Newly appointed teachers	26	(.52)
Teachers on long sick leave	24	(.47)
Moved to another municipality	17	(.34)
No time to answer	16	(.32)
Took up positions within or outside the field of education	12	(.24)
Questionnaire perceived as too complicated	7	(.14)
Considered the survey intrusive	3	(.06)
Total number of non-respondents	3186	(62.84)

Table 3. Perceived positive impact of previous formal PD on teachers’ development (in descending order) .

		All respondents		Up to 5 years of experience	More than 5 years of experience
		Participated (N)	High level of impact (%)	High level of impact (%)	High level of impact (%)	Difference depending on teaching experience
Forms of PD	University run courses	438	68.5	72.4	67.9	χ^2 (df = 1) = 19.47, p < .0001
	Sessions provided by NBE^a	485	56.9	47.5	58.8	χ^2 (df = 1) = 9.82, p < .01
	Web-based learning	395	49.4	49.2	49.4	χ^2 (df = 1) = 10.31, p < .01
	Study visits	797	42.8	47.5	42.0	χ^2 (df = 1) = 24.76, p < .0001
	Collaborative Learning	787	40.7	30.1	42.6	χ^2 (df = 1) = 27.78, p < .0001
	Mentoring	250	39.6	41.1	39.0	χ^2 (df = 1) = 10.24, p < .01
	Planning meetings	1164	38.2	40.5	37.7	χ^2 (df = 1) = 11.21, p < .001
	School-based sessions	890	32.8	29.2	33.4	χ^2 (df = 1) = 31.76, p < .0001
	Network meetings	678	32.7	24.1	34.4	χ^2 (df = 1) = 20.24, p < .0001
	Sessions provided by municipality	1093	22.1	18.5	22.8	χ^2 (df = 1) = 51.33, p < .0001

a. National Board of Education.

Table 4. Perceived positive impact of previous informal PD on teachers’ development (in descending order) .

		All respondents		Up to 5 years of experience	More than 5 years of experience
		Participated (N)	High level of impact (%)	High level of impact (%)	High level of impact (%)	Difference depending on teaching experience
Forms of PD	Informal discussions	1674	61.2	63.2	60.7	χ^2 (df = 1) = 27.03, p < .0001
	Reading research studies^a	1346	41.2	33.2	42.9	χ^2 (df = 1) = 44.68, p < .0001
	Peer observation	742	35.6	44.7	33.4	χ^2 (df = 1) = 1.14, p = n.s.
	Use of social media^b	928	35.2	36.3	34.9	χ^2 (df = 1) = .70, p = n.s.
	Reading professional journals^c	1273	30.7	24.4	31.9	χ^2 (df = 1) = 29.85, p < .0001
	Web pages (sharing of lesson plans)	943	17.4	19.3	16.9	χ^2 (df = 1) = .23, p = n.s.

a. Dissertation, peer reviewed papers etc.

b. Facebook groups, twitter etc.

c. Educational magazines, blogs etc.

Table 5. Perceived positive impact of previous PD sessions on teachers’ development (in descending order) .

	All respondents		Up to 5 years of experience	More than 5 years of experience
	Participated (N)	High level of impact (%)	High level of impact (%)	High level of impact (%)	Difference depending on teaching experience
Pedagogical content knowledge	378	60.3	48.6	63.0	χ^2 (df = 1) = .12, p = n.s.
Subject content knowledge	184	55.4	52.4	55.8	χ^2 (df = 1) = 3.31, p = n.s.
Special education	617	50.4	46.2	51.2	χ^2 (df = 1) = .49, p = n.s.
Planning, teaching and reflection	676	47.9	50.0	47.4	χ^2 (df = 1) = .10, p = n.s.
Reading and writing skills	548	46.5	37.9	48.3	χ^2 (df = 1) = .51, p = n.s.
Vocational education	245	42.9	46.3	42.2	χ^2 (df = 1) = .02, p = n.s.
Formative assessment	694	41.9	40.7	42.1	χ^2 (df = 1) = 1.42, p = n.s.
Handling behaviour concerns	552	40.4	42.7	40.0	χ^2 (df = 1) = .09, p = n.s.
Classroom management	444	40.1	41.1	39.8	χ^2 (df = 1) = 1.82, p = n.s.
Syllabi and subject planning	619	39.9	35.1	40.8	χ^2 (df = 1) = 4.80, p < .01
Assessment and grading	829	39.3	37.7	39.6	χ^2 (df = 1) = .82, p = n.s.
Conflict resolution	376	38.3	41.9	37.4	χ^2 (df = 1) = .63, p = n.s.
Technology enhanced learning	688	37.5	28.4	39.2	χ^2 (df = 1) = 23.10, p < .0001
The performing arts	247	36.4	41.5	35.4	χ^2 (df = 1) = .04, p = n.s.
Teaching migrant children	386	36.3	44.1	34.6	χ^2 (df = 1) = 1.28, p = n.s.
Inclusion and equity issues	688	36.1	24.6	34.9	χ^2 (df = 1) = .56, p = n.s.
Critical thinking	284	34.2	37.8	33.5	χ^2 (df = 1) = .94, p = n.s.
Evaluation of competencies achieved by students	574	33.3	28.4	34.1	χ^2 (df = 1) = .00, p = n.s.
Discrimination	432	33.1	41.9	31.6	χ^2 (df = 1) = .94, p = n.s.
Bullying and harassment	293	32.4	26.7	33.5	χ^2 (df = 1) = .04, p = n.s.
Addressing the needs of gifted children	498	32.1	33.8	31.9	χ^2 (df = 1) = .00, p = n.s.
Diversity (e.g. LGBTQ)	446	27.6	24.6	28.1	χ^2 (df = 1) = .04, p = n.s.

* p < 0,05, ** p = <0,01, *** p = <0,001. The results presented in this table represents the professional development needs identified of major importance to the respondents (high level of need).

Table 6. Perceived professional development needs identified by respondents (in descending order).

	No need		Low level of need		Moderate level of need		High level of need
Variable	Frequency (N)	Percentage (%)	Frequency (N)	Percentage (%)	Frequency (N)	Percentage (%)	Frequency (N)	Percentage (%)
Special education	81	5.1	315	19.7	651	40.6	556	34.7
Technology-enhanced learning	94	5.8	331	20.5	655	40.6	533	33.1
Teaching migrant children	145	9.4	374	24.2	548	35.4	481	31.1
Handling behaviour concerns	92	5.8	377	23.9	637	40.3	474	30.0
Subject content knowledge	341	31.8	170	15.8	261	24.3	302	28.1
Pedagogical content knowledge	333	30.4	196	17.9	284	25.9	283	25.8
Addressing the needs of gifted children	115	7.4	355	23.0	693	44.9	382	24.7
Conflict resolution	134	8.8	441	28.8	640	41.8	317	20.7
Vocational education	266	18.1	472	32.2	452	30.8	278	18.9
Assessment and grading	279	17.9	422	27.1	592	38.1	262	16.9
Evaluation of competencies achieved by students	210	14.3	495	33.8	550	37.5	211	14.4
Planning, teaching and reflection	161	10.6	531	34.8	617	40.5	215	14.1
Formative assessment	260	17.1	446	29.3	606	39.7	213	14.0
Classroom management	271	17.9	552	36.4	488	32.2	204	13.5
Reading and writing skills	261	17.4	499	33.3	545	36.3	195	13.0
The performing arts	266	18.0	567	38.3	471	31.8	176	11.9
Diversity (e.g. LGBTQ)	195	13.2	577	39.0	535	36.2	172	11.6
Syllabi and subject planning	311	20.5	563	37.1	482	31.8	161	10.6
Bullying and harassment	173	11.7	626	42.2	529	35.7	154	10.4
Inclusion and equity issues	157	10.5	608	40.5	595	39.6	141	9.4
Critical thinking	190	12.9	588	39.8	563	38.1	138	9.3
Discrimination^Footnote1	232	15.8	692	47.2	464	31.7	78	5.3

Teachers could choose more than one alternative. They could choose all alternatives they found relevant.

^aProfessional development regarding how teachers can work in accordance with legislation, which states that it is prohibited to discriminate based on sex, gender identity, ethnicity, religion or other beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or age.

Table 7. Perceived PD needs by years of experience (in descending order, by total percentage).

	All respondents		Up to 5 years of experience	More than 5 years of experience
	Frequency answered (N)	High level of need (%)	High level of need (%)	High level of need (%)	Difference depending on teaching experience
Special education	1603	34.7	32.5	35.3	χ^2 (df = 1) = .82, p = n.s.
Technology enhanced learning	1613	33.1	33.7	32.9	χ^2 (df = 1) = .10, p = n.s.
Teaching migrant children	1548	31.1	32.5	30.7	χ^2 (df = 1) = .49, p = n.s.
Handling Behaviour Concerns	1580	30.0	27.4	30.7	χ^2 (df = 1) = 1.42, p = n.s.
Subject content knowledge	1074	28.1	29.8	27.7	χ^2 (df = 1) = .56, p = n.s.
Pedagogical content knowledge	1096	25.8	30.5	24.5	χ^2 (df = 1) = 4.80, p < .01
Addressing the needs of gifted children	1545	24.7	34.7	22.0	χ^2 (df = 1) = 23.10, p < .0001
Conflict resolution	1532	20.7	22.1	20.3	χ^2 (df = 1) = .51, p = n.s.
Vocational education	1468	18.9	18.1	19.3	χ^2 (df = 1) = .12, p = n.s.
Assessment and grading	1555	16.9	16.1	17.1	χ^2 (df = 1) = .09, p = n.s.
Evaluation of competencies achieved by students	1466	14.4	14.2	14.4	χ^2 (df = 1) = .00, p = n.s.
Planning, teaching and reflection	1524	14.1	13.9	14.2	χ^2 (df = 1) = .00, p = n.s.
Formative assessment	1525	14.0	11.5	14.6	χ^2 (df = 1) = 1.82, p = n.s.
Classroom management	1515	13.5	14.6	13.2	χ^2 (df = 1) = .63, p = n.s.
Reading and writing skills	1500	13.0	14.7	12.6	χ^2 (df = 1) = .94, p = n.s.
The performing arts	1480	11.9	9.9	12.4	χ^2 (df = 1) = 1.28, p = n.s.
Diversity (e.g. LGBTQ)	1479	11.6	11.3	11.7	χ^2 (df = 1) = .04, p = n.s.
Syllabi and subject planning	1517	10.6	10.2	10.7	χ^2 (df = 1) = .02, p = n.s.
Bullying and harassment	1482	10.4	13.1	9.7	χ^2 (df = 1) = 3.31, p = n.s.
Inclusion and equity issues	1501	9.4	10.6	9.1	χ^2 (df = 1) = .94, p = n.s.
Critical thinking	1479	9.3	9.0	9.4	χ^2 (df = 1) = .04, p = n.s.
Discrimination	1466	5.3	5.5	5.3	χ^2 (df = 1) = .04, p = n.s.

* p < 0,05, ** p = <0,01, *** p = <0,001. The results presented in this table represents the professional development needs identified of major importance to the respondents (high level of need).

Table 8. Engaging in PD sessions: current and preferred format.

		All respondents		Up to 5 years of experience	More than 5 years of experience
		Frequency (N)	Percentage (%)	Percentage (%)	Percentage (%)	Difference depending on teaching experience
In what ways do you currently follow PD sessions	Individually	740	40.2	21.5	45.3	χ^2 (df = 2) = 284.44, p < .0001
	As part of a group	858	46.7	40.4	48.3
	Have not taken part in PD sessions	241	13.1	38.1	6.4
Preferred format of PD sessions	Individually	615	33.7	31.7	34.3	χ^2 (df = 2) = 7.51, p = .02
	As part of a group	1187	65.2	66.0	64.9
	Do not want to take part in PD sessions	20	1.1	2.3	.8