An Investigation into the Effect of Individual Differences on Iranian EFL Teachers’ Perceptions Concerning Professional Development Obstacles

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 570
Author(s):  
Sara Rahimi
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
English Language ◽  
Small City ◽  
Teaching Career ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Academic Qualification ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Postgraduate Studies

The aim of this study is to examine Iranian EFL teachers’ perceptions of the professional development obstacles they face during their teaching career. A total of 50 Iranian EFL teachers at different language academy within a small city of Kangan, participated in this study. The following items were found to be most highly frequent among the participants of the current study: [“Observers’ visits are rare” for institutional professional development obstacles; (M= 3.91)], [“Some teachers cannot afford pursuing postgraduate studies” for self-directed professional development obstacles; (M= 4.76)], [“English language conferences in Iran are rare” for professional development obstacles related to the nature of the work; (M= 3.74)]. On the contrary, the following problems were found to be the least highly frequent ones the participants were facing during their professional development: [“Institute administration considers English less important than other languages”; (M= 3.04)], [“Some teachers always feel frustrated with most students”, (M= 2.97)], [“Teaching is a type of work that rapidly becomes routine” for professional development obstacles related to the nature of the work; (M= 2.85)]. Finally, no significant difference was found in teachers’ perceptions of professional development obstacles with regard to their academic qualification, ELT experience, gender, and age.

scholarly journals EFL Teachers’ Perceptions on the Implementation of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning in Saudi Arabia During COVID-19: Challenges and Affordances

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-100
Author(s):  
Norah Alghamdi
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Elementary Schools ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Mobile Assisted Language Learning ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Efl Teachers

This study aimed to explore EFL teachers’ perceptions regarding mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) in elementary schools in Saudi Arabia, including their attitudes, levels of proficiency, and challenges they experienced regarding the use of MALL. The study also sought to investigate whether EFL teachers’ backgrounds have any significant impact on their perceptions of MALL. To this end, survey data were collected from 123 EFL teachers who have worked in elementary schools in Saudi Arabia. The results revealed teachers’ positive perceptions of MALL, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, participants stated that mobile learning is beneficial and has the potential to support and enhance EFL teaching. Most EFL teachers reported that they did not have a sufficient level of skills/abilities required to develop MALL activities and cited some challenges they faced. The results also indicate a significant difference among participants’ perceptions of MALL based on their professional development and teaching experience, but no difference based on their gender was found. These results indicate that placing a greater emphasis on offering professional development in MALL for Saudi EFL teachers could cultivate both greater proficiency and the ability to overcome challenges. This study concludes by providing recommendations on how to improve MALL implementation as well as directions for future research.

scholarly journals The Power of Continuing Professional Development on EFL Teachers’ Creativity

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Mohammadifar ◽  
Mona Tabatabaee-Yazdi
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
English Language ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Years Of Teaching Experience ◽  
Efl Teachers

Creativity has played a leading role in education that not only attracts many learners but also teachers. According to Ismail, Desa, and Balakrishnan (2018) creativity is one of the main skills that is extremely noticeable in teaching. Moreover, because of the alteration of generation and expansion of knowledge and technology, the instruction requires creative teachers that can use up-to-date and modern techniques. Within this framework, the researcher tried to investigate any significant relationship between Iranian EFL teachers’ Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and their creativity. To comply with the objective, a total of 210 Iranian EFL teachers took part in this study. For gathering the data two questionnaires were administered through Google Form that shared via social media like Telegram and WhatsApp. The results of correlation analyses revealed that there was a positive significant relationship between Iranian EFL teachers’ CPD and their creativity. Accordingly, this study proposed a structural model to examine CPD factors contributing to EFL teachers’ creativity. Due to the outcome of SEM, collaborating is the best predictor of Iranian EFL teachers’ creativity. Moreover, this study provides evidence that there is no significant difference in the level of Iranian EFL teachers’ creativity between male and female teachers and years of teaching experience. Together these results provide important insights into the significant role of CPD on the teachers’ creativity. These findings provide a potential mechanism for teachers, supervisors, and administrators of English language institutes or schools to elevate teachers’ creativity knowledge, and education by applying beneficial practices and activities of CPD.

scholarly journals The Effects of Needs- Based Continuous Professional Development Practice on Teachers ‟ Perception of CPD: Primary Schools English Language Teachers in Focus

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. 20-39
Author(s):  
Endelibu Goa
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Post Test ◽  
English Language Teachers

This study was an attempt to examine the effects of needs- based Continuous Professional Development (CPD) practices on English language teachers’ perceptions. More specifically, the study addressed the following research questions: (1) What CPD activities do ELT teachers need to practice currently? (2)Is there a significant change in EFL teachers’ perceptions following in an intervention design to increase their perceptions about CPD practices? This research work was mainly experimental in design. The purpose of the experiment was to examine the effects of needsbased CPD practices on English language teachers’ perceptions. Pre-test and post-test measures were analyzed using a t-test statistical procedure. In addition, questionnaire, interviews, and FGDs were employed in order to obtain data required for the study. The data gathered through different instruments were subjected to both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The study involved five primary schools in Arba Minch. Fifty-two, randomly selected teachers were filled the pre-test and post-test questionnaire. Moreover, 10 teachers from each primary school were randomly selected for interview. Besides, 12 teachers from each primary school were involved in the FGDs in order to gather the necessary data for this study. Different sources were referred for the preparation of the training materials. The effects of need-based CPD practices on teachers’ perception were examined through the pre-test and the post-test. The results of the pre-test showed that there was no significant difference in the teachers’ perception before and after the experiment. The results of the post-test showed that there was a significant difference before and after the experiment in teachers’ perception (P<0.05). On the basis of the findings of the study, it was concluded that need-based CPD practice could have a great value in improving perception. Based on this, conclusions and recommendations were made.

scholarly journals The EFL Teachers’ Perceptions of Teacher Identity: A Survey of Zhuangang and Non-zhuangang Primary School Teachers in China

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Xiong ◽  
Xiuzhen Xiong
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Identity ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Primary School Teachers ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
The Status

Zhuangang (literally means “transferring post”) English teachers, usually in the primary schools of rural areas in China, refer to the English teachers who used to teach school subjects other than English. Some of them may at the same time still teach other subjects in addition to English. They are a part of the solutions to the shortage of English teachers due to the policy of popularizing English learning in primary schools in China in 2001. Although they account for a large percentage of primary English teachers especially in rural areas in China, relatively little research has been conducted to investigate the status of their professional development and identity. This study is aimed at finding out whether there is a significant difference between zhuangang and non-zhuangang English teachers in their perceptions of teacher identity and if it is the case, what may be the contributing reasons. A questionnaire was allocated and a significant difference (p=0.005) was observed between zhuangang and non-zhuangang English teachers in their perceptions of teacher identity. Implications for enhancing their teacher identity and professional development are also discussed.

scholarly journals Exploring Change in EFL Teachers’ Perceptions of Professional Development

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Mohammadi ◽  
Khaled Moradi
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Development Framework ◽  
Teachers Beliefs ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Professional Development Programs

AbstractContinuous professional development (CPD) is important for teachers in attaining sustainable education. Accordingly, exploring teachers’ perceptions could be a significant endeavor as teachers’ beliefs impact their classroom practices, thereby, impacting student learning and, thus have educational implications. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate this fundamental issue via establishing professional development workshops to train teachers in order to promote sustainable professional growth. It examined 86 EFL teachers’ beliefs and attitudes toward CPD before and after attending workshops for professional development. The data were collected through a questionnaire and a follow-up interview. Paired-samples t-tests were run to measure differences between responses of pre and post surveys. Moreover, raw frequencies and percentages were calculated in order to prioritize the items the teachers selected in each variable. The findings demonstrate that beliefs about CPD can change. Survey data collected before and after professional development workshops revealed a statistical significant shift in EFL teachers’ beliefs. This finding was also supported by semi-structured interviews. In addition, the results also revealed that the participants perceived customized professional development programs with professional development framework as a beneficial tool to be included in the professional development programs. The study may have some pedagogical implications to be utilized in the educational process directed at sustainable professional development.

scholarly journals Professional development of English language teachers in Malang, Indonesia: Institutional and individual perspectives

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Anik Nunuk Wulyani
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Ict Skills ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
The Individual

<p>Two important areas of professional development for teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Indonesia identified in the 2003 Law on National Education System and 2005 Law on Teachers and Lecturers are disciplinary knowledge and ICT skills. The present thesis investigates institutional and individual aspects of EFL teacher professional development (TPD) in Indonesia in relation to the development of these two areas of expertise.  Three studies were carried out. The first study measured Indonesian EFL teachers’ target language (English) proficiency as a core component of their professional knowledge and how it is maintained and developed by the teachers. EFL teachers’ language proficiency in this study was operationalised as their lexical, reading and writing proficiency and measured using the Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT), IELTS-like reading comprehension test and IELTS-like academic writing test, respectively. The results showed that the teachers’ length of service correlated negatively with their knowledge of academic vocabulary, as well as reading and writing proficiency, indicating issues with the outcomes of the TPD in this area. To triangulate the test results, teacher perceptions data were also gathered using questionnaires and interviews. It was found that the EFL teachers tended to overestimate their own overall English language proficiency.  The second study used a longitudinal blogging activity with the EFL teachers as a form of personal professional development that targeted their English language and ICT skills while reflecting on topics related to their professional (teaching) activities. Qualitative analysis of the blog entries of three EFL teachers suggested that the individual teachers’ blogging, critical reading and reflective writing skills were very uneven. Interviews with nine teachers and 11 educational stakeholders were then conducted to understand their views on blogging as a form of professional development. The results revealed that the perceived obstacles and drawbacks outweighed the perceived benefits of blogging as a form of personal professional development.  The third study examined Indonesian national TPD policy documents, how these policies were translated into local professional development programmes in Malang district. It was found that the needs for EFL teachers to maintain their English proficiency and ICT skills were only partially addressed in TPD policy and implementation. In addition, the interviewed teachers and stakeholders perceived the definitions, goals, administration, evaluation, benefits, and challenges of TPD differently.  Taken as a whole, the present findings show that institutional implementation of TPD policies in Indonesia needs to better target individual EFL teachers’ English proficiency and ICT skills, and that opportunities for better professional development need to be sought at both personal and institutional levels. At the individual level, self-motivation to continue learning is crucial for English language teachers who want to keep up with change and innovation in English language teaching. At the institutional level, needs analyses and environmental analyses are essential in designing programs for maintaining and developing teacher professional competency.</p>

Student Teachers' Perceptions of the Use of LMS for Promoting Critical Thinking in Their Future Teaching Career

2021 ◽  
pp. 613-631
Author(s):  
Alcuin Ivor Mwalongo
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Teaching Career ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Teachers Perceptions

The chapter examined student teachers' perceptions of the use of Moodle for promoting critical thinking in their future teaching career. The study used a mixed methods approach with a sample of 70 student teachers from three public universities in Tanzania. Data were collected through a survey, focus group discussions, and a review of documents. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed through SPSS 25 and MaxQDA 18, respectively. The findings indicate the potential of Moodle for promoting critical thinking, collaboration, and professional development. Similarly, there were statistically significant differences between pre-service and in-service teachers in perceptions of satisfaction with Moodle and taking LMS-related jobs in the future. Pedagogical implications of the findings and the area for further research have been discussed.

Professional Development Landscapes

2017 ◽  
pp. 98-111
Author(s):  
Beril Yucel ◽  
Meral Güçeri
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Action Research ◽  
English Language ◽  
Collaborative Action Research ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Collaborative Action ◽  
English Language Teachers

This chapter aims to present two action research case studies conducted in the English Language Schools of two universities in Turkey and discuss the long-term effects of this Professional Development activity on teachers' professional lives. In both of these studies, teachers were involved in collaborative action research. The first case study discusses a small scale collaborative Action Research project which targeted 16 English language teachers. Case Study Two, on the other hand, is a large scale project which explores 160 English language teachers' collaborative action research study. Detailed information about each case study is provided by highlighting the aims, institutional contexts, participant profiles, methodology used and findings. Teachers' perceptions about action research and the long-term impact of it on their professional growth are also discussed. Conclusion part highlights the factors that need to be taken into consideration while setting up collaborative action research projects in institutions. Finally, future research recommendations are made.

Teacher Development: Strategies and Perception

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 69-78
Author(s):  
Padam Lal Bharati ◽  
Subas Chalise
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Development ◽  
English Language ◽  
Development Strategies ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Teachers Professional Development ◽  
Clear Idea

Aspects of teachers’ professional development in general and EFL teachers in non-English speaking countries in particular are issues that warrant constant research. Although these are widely researched areas internationally, within Nepal grounded professional development studies have been sparsely carried out. A considerable section of practicing English language teachers has no clear idea of the issue although it directly concerns themselves. Against this backdrop, this article explores some EFL teachers’ perception on the concept of teacher development in a relatively sophisticated centrally located town of Nepal.The Saptagandaki Journal Vol.8 2017: 69-78

scholarly journals Exploring the Nature of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programs in a Language Institute

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 133
Author(s):  
Hussain Ahmad ◽  
Sayyed Rashid Shah ◽  
Emad A. Alghamdi ◽  
Sayyed Rashid Shah
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
English Language ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Teaching Profession ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Professional Literature ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
Reading Professional ◽  
English Language Institute

<p>When it is an undeniable reality that learning is at the centre of teaching profession, we assume that the continuing professional development would be a priority for all teachers. EFL teachers like the teachers of other subjects update their skills and knowledge base in order to keep abreast of the new developments and challenges in the field of English language teaching. The present study seeks to explore how EFL teachers in an English language institute at a Saudi Arabian university perceive the effectiveness of Continuing Professional Development in their context as well as the ways in which different modes of CPD can promote and enhance the teachers' learning. This study was conducted at an English language institute of a Saudi university. The study adopted a quantitative approach using online questionnaire. The quantitative data was collected from 50 EFL teachers who were qualified and experienced in the field of TESOL. The findings from the study showed that the teachers viewed external CPD such as courses, seminars, workshops and conferences, and self-directed endeavors like informal discussions, reading professional literature, and self-reflection more beneficial to their development than the internal CPD like classroom observations and other in-house training sessions. This paper concludes that the institution should improve its internal professional development scheme by expanding the professional development unit's role, enhancing the quality of its mentoring program, and establishing communities of practice wherein teachers engage in highly professional practices.</p>

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