scholarly journals CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD) PROVISION FOR SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS TEACHERS IN SAUDI ARABIA: PERCEPTIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF CPD PROVIDERS

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-104
Author(s):  
Saed A. Sabah ◽  
Merfat Fayez ◽  
Saeed M. Alshamrani ◽  
Nasser Mansour

This study examines the perspectives of science and mathematics Continuing Professional Development (CPD) providers regarding the nature and status of CPD provision in Saudi Arabia. It was carried out during a time when current government reforms in Saudi Arabia have placed the teaching and learning of math and science in the schools at the core of its agenda. To achieve the study results, an open-ended questionnaire was developed and used in the data collection process. Twenty science and mathematics CPD providers completed the questionnaire. Data were analyzed inductively using thematic analysis. Three themes were elicited from the study analysis: CPD planning and delivery, assessing the impact of CPD, and views of effective CPD. The article concludes that the dominant model of CPD in Saudi Arabia is based on traditional notions that are focused on a single shot design (such as training courses and workshops). The study suggests increasing the scope of CPD efforts in Saudi Arabia to allow for other forms of CPD opportunities and that science and mathematics Saudi CPD providers require support and fine tune training in order to assure the success of the CPD efforts. Keywords: continuing professional development, providers’ perception, Saudi Arabia, science and mathematics education.

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 420-427
Author(s):  
Richard M. Duffy ◽  
Marian Henry

SummaryThe use of PowerPoint has become nearly ubiquitous in medical education and continuing professional development; however, many alternatives are emerging that can be used in its place. These may confer some advantages, but they also have potential drawbacks. It is helpful that educators are aware of these new presentation options and their pros and cons, including any financial implications and issues of data protection. This article considers the role of technology in teaching and learning, identifying underlying assumptions that are often made. It identifies and appraises technology that can be used with or instead of PowerPoint to best facilitate deep learning. The potential pedagogical benefits and practical limitations of these technologies are considered, and strategies are highlighted to maximise the impact of PowerPoint where it is the software of choice.


Author(s):  
Rui Da Silva ◽  
Joana Oliveira

This article focuses on the experience of a bilateral educational aid project concerning a continuing professional development (CPD) programme for teachers with specific reference to Guinea-Bissau. The author was keen to understand how teachers and school principals perceived the impact of this CPD programme on the quality of teaching and learning. In this qualitative study data from teachers and school principals were collected by means of interviews, focus groups, field notes and documental analysis. The article argues that the programme improved the language skills of the teachers and impacted positively on scientific, pedagogical and didactic content.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bekim Samadraxha ◽  
Veton Alihajdari ◽  
Besim Mustafa ◽  
Ramë Likaj

Vocational Education Teachers are one of the main important assets for workforce development. This study of the workforce of VET teachers in selected partner countries has two main goals. The aim of this research is to evaluate the level of teacher’s development and training programs and test as well, to inform national policymakers about the situation and the needs of the VET teachers and, secondly, to help monitoring the implementation and the change of the teacher professional development. The methodology to be used is based on qualitative research methods, including interviews und surveys. A major focus of the survey is to enable policy makers to understand what is required to bring along improvements in the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) quality, effectiveness and responsiveness, as well as factors affecting teacher effectiveness in general, such as their motivation and career structure. Professional development for teachers and trainers is widely recognized as a vital tool for the educational reform (Bicaj, 2013). Research shows that the professional development can enduring improve the quality of teaching and learning, enhancing the effectiveness of education and training and providing added value to students, teachers and employers. There is no doubt about the importance of the Continuing Professional Development of VET teachers. Kosovo has for many years developed extensive policies to address this issue, and currently these policies are being implemented.


2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Meyer ◽  
Lydia Abel

In the area of teacher professional development, South African education administrators face the challenge of reconciling two imperatives that have entirely different implications for programme time frames and budgets. On the one hand, there is an urgent need to improve the pedagogic content knowledge of many teachers to improve the overall standard of teaching and learning in the public school system. Considering the scale and urgency of the matter, centralised course-based in-service training seems to be the only affordable alternative. On the other hand, researchers have long warned that once-off course-based training on its own has limited impact on teachers’ practice, and has to be accompanied by further professional support in the school and classroom, or be abandoned in favour of more enduring professional learning communities. The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has grappled with this dilemma in the Department’s various professional development initiatives for teachers, a mainstay of which is the training offered by the Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute (CTLI). This paper presents some of the data and findings from an external evaluation that ORT SA CAPE conducted in 2011–2012 of courses offered by the WCED at the CTLI. The hierarchy of INSET outcomes proposed by Harland and Kinder (1997) was applied to record changes in the practice of 18 teachers at eight schools. The progress of five of the teachers is discussed to illustrate the interplay between school-level factors and the experiences of individual teachers which influenced the impact of CTLI training on their teaching.


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