scholarly journals Enhancing Teachers’ Competencies through Professional Development Program: Challenges and Benefactions

Author(s):  
Dewi Listia Apriliyanti

Teachers’ professional development program is considered to play an important role in enhancing teacher competencies. An observational case study is conducted to observe teachers’ learning process and teachers’ outcomes after learning on the program. Five English teachers who have participated in the professional development program in Indonesia and passed the teachers’ competence test on the program have become key informants of this research. The objectives of the research are to investigate the learning process on the program and challenges faced by the teachers in implementing their teaching knowledge and outcome of teachers after participating in the program. The research has found three essential findings. First, the research found that pedagogic competences and professional competences have become the basic formulation for learning materials that are taught in the program. Second, the research found four obstacles and challenges to implement teachers’ knowledge from the program in their classroom, for instance, innovative teaching methods and creative lesson design. The third, the investigation also discovered the challenges and the benefactions in the implementation of professional learning development as one of the solutions in enhancing English teachers’ competences in Indonesia.

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4.30) ◽  
pp. 367
Author(s):  
Fariz Setyawan ◽  
Yosep Dwi Kristanto ◽  
Naufal Ishartono

The use of technology is essential in teaching and learning process. Many researchers have already been implemented Dynamic Geometry Software (DGS) in teaching and learning process. Given the importance of DGS, it is necessary for in-service teachers to use the software in their teaching and learning. Hence, it is important to prepare in-service teacher in utilizing DGS through the professional development program. This is a qualitative research which describes a professional development program to facilitate in-service teachers in utilizing DGS. Both questionnaire and review measured in-service teachers’ perceptions, knowledge and skills transfer, and impact for their practice. From the findings, four of five in-service teachers recognized that they can interact with geometric figures to move on to the next level by using DGS. The teachers felt that DGS has helped them to understand the mathematics concept and demonstrate their understanding in front of the class. Besides, DGS does not only offer opportunities for teachers and students to use them both at home and in the classroom, but they also provide a means for developing support and user communities reaching across borders especially in understanding of geometrical transformation. It has contributed that the teachers easily recognize the geometrical shapes interpretations dynamically on DGS.


2014 ◽  
pp. 673-688
Author(s):  
Charalambos Mouzakis ◽  
Haralampos Tsaknakis ◽  
Chrysanthi Tziortzioti

This chapter explores the underlying theoretical principles that provided the basis for the design and implementation of a professional development program for informatics teachers in Greece. A blended learning model was adopted combining live workshop meetings, face-to-face in-lab training sessions and online videoconferencing sessions. The framework of constructivism and experiential learning was used as a theoretical rationale for the combination of face-to-face activities with online learning experiences. It is shown that a blended learning design based on the principles of constructivism and experiential learning pedagogy can provide vital tools for the creation of an active environment for informatics teachers' professional development. Also, it appears that a promising direction for further investigation, in terms of improving the learning outcome based on the same theoretical principles, is the more detailed design of the sequence of learning activities and a closer look at the development of communities of practice among teachers.


Author(s):  
Arnis Silvia

This article reports on English teachers‘ attitudes towards a professional development program run by Coursera (coursera.org). Theseteachers were participants of Foundation of Teaching for Learning 1: Introduction online course. Using a survey case study, the findings reveal that most of the participants perceive the course as a well-organized and effective platform to engage in professional learning. Coursera is an online learning platform offering various courses for teacher educators which are meaningful (closely related to their daily teaching practice) and vibrant (involves active collaboration among peer participants to review and assess their projects). Albeit this nature, another finding shows that the participants lament that their institutions do not provide professional development (PD) support. In fact, PD programs are not constrained to face-to-face encounters, since it can be designed using online platforms such as Coursera, a massive open online course (MOOC). Accordingly, the contribution of the article is to show how online platforms make meaningful and vibrant teacher professional development (TPD) possible. The implication of the study is that school administrators and policy makers should provide support for their teachers to take online PD programs. This professional learning should contribute to the best teaching practice and student learning attainment.


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Brebner ◽  
Stacie Attrill ◽  
Claire Marsh ◽  
Lilienne Coles

Professional development can provide opportunities to develop new skills and knowledge, and to apply them to practice in a sustainable way. However, delivery of professional development needs to consider the philosophies and pedagogies of training recipients, and activities should be tailored to meet their needs. This article reports on an exploratory study of an embedded, service-based model of professional development for early childhood educators (educators), targeting children’s speech, language, and communication skill development. This innovative model, conducted by speech and language therapy (SLT) students and a SLT professional practice educator, utilized co-teaching strategies to facilitate the professional learning of educators and SLTs in this context. A qualitative research design was employed and data gathered through focus group interviews with educators and individual semi-structured interviews with centre directors. The data were triangulated with some observational data of educators’ practices with young children several months post program completion to explore their application of skills and knowledge that had been covered in the professional development program. The data contained four main themes: Communication, relationships, environment, and translating knowledge into practice. Observational data lent further depth and validation to the results by confirming the presence or absence of expressed practice values and experiences in the educators’ everyday interactions with children. The observational data supported the themes relationships and translating knowledge into practice. The results contribute to our understanding of educators’ and childcare centre directors’ perspectives on their knowledge, skills, and practice in response to this embedded professional development program. This model of professional development may be appropriate to facilitate knowledge and skill development about children’s speech, language, and communication skills for educators working with young children in a childcare setting. Benefits for educators and SLTs were found where good working relationships and communication had been established.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document