Using student perceptions of the learning environment to evaluate the effectiveness of a teacher professional development programme

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Titien S. Soebari ◽  
Jill M. Aldridge
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Teacher Professional Development ◽  
Development Programme ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Professional Development Programme

scholarly journals Teacher Professional Development and Geography Teachers’ Pedagogical Practices for Climate Change Education

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muofhe Thenga ◽  
Paul Goldschagg ◽  
Rene Ferguson ◽  
Caleb Mandikonza
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Professional Development ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Teacher Professional Development ◽  
Classroom Practices ◽  
Development Programme ◽  
Pedagogical Practices ◽  
Climate Change Education ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Professional Development Programme

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) was added to the South African Geography school curriculum when the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) was implemented from 2012. Many in-service teachers who qualified prior to 2014 did not cover this concept during their initial teacher education qualification because it was not part of the curriculum at that time. To address this deficiency, a teacher professional development (TPD) module was developed by the Fundisa for Change programme and offered to a selection of in-service high school Geography teachers. Transformative learning theory helped to understand the pedagogical practices used by teachers after attending the Fundisa for Change teacher professional development programme, in particular the use of a learner-centred approach. Using a small-scale, qualitative and interpretive case study method, the influence of this short TPD course on the teaching of climate change in the Geography CAPS curriculum on teachers’ pedagogical practices was investigated. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, document analysis and lesson observations. Data were analysed using both inductive thematic and deductive analysis. Findings from this small sample of five teachers and their practices suggest that despite attending the programme, most of the participating teachers did not sufficientlyintegrate climate change education in their Geography classroom practices. The majority of the research participants did not implement the learner-centred teaching methods covered in the course. It is therefore recommended that a teacher professional development programme should be incorporated into longer-term and preferably ongoing professional development programmes so as to adequately foster climate change education in classroom practices. Keywords: Geography, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), climate change education, teacher professional development, learner-centred pedagogies 

scholarly journals Stories of change: The case of a foundation phase teacher professional development programme

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce Brown ◽  
Di Wilmot ◽  
Margie Paton Ash
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Professional Development ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Development Programme ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Education Environment ◽  
Programme Design ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Professional Development Programme

The study reported in this article responds to the need for empirical studies that provide evidence of positive change in education at the micro-level of the classroom – an important component of the complex education environment in South Africa. This article describes teachers’ and principals’ reports of micro-level changes that occurred during a professional development programme for foundation phase teachers at a South African university. An overview of the principles underpinning the programme design and implementation is given, followed by a description of the qualitative research design and grounded theory methodology used to research changes in the practices of teachers participating in the programme. The study provides evidence of changes in the classroom and professional practice of the teachers, aligned with changes in academic practice and children’s learning in the classroom. We argue that the programme’s strong orientation to practice, its focus on teachers’ understanding of children, and the model of teacher professional development that is located in reflexive practice together may have facilitated positive changes in the teachers’ practices.

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