Listening to teachers talk about CPD: a multi-national case study

Listening to teachers talk about CPD: a multi-national case study CPD: Alex Kendall, Adrian Kacian, Andrea Kybalkov, Vlasta Cabanov, Pierre Vignes, Victor Cavaleiro, Dina Pereira, Phil Taylor1Project ObjectivesTo achieve a better understanding of teachers experiences of CPD in each countryTo identify and share examples of good practiceTo develop a framework tool to support effective practiceContexts for PaCTTRethinking Education: Investing in skills for better socio-economic outcomes (EC: Nov 2012)The perceived need by teachers for professional development seems to be greater than the actual possibilities they have. Many teaching staff either do not find suitable professional development, or cannot attend because of conflicting work schedules. A considerable proportion of teachers feel that they require more professional development than they currently receive.However, current provision for in-service training is often not as effective as it should be, and for a large proportion of teaching staff the need is felt for more. The 2010 Joint Progress Report of the Council and the Commission found that although curricular change is under wayfor the majority of teachers already in service there are few systematic opportunities to update their competences accordingly. This is a serious shortcoming as high-performing schools are characterised by systematic and well supported professional development, which is longer in duration, more active and more collaborative.PaCTT ProjectBirmingham City University, UKUniversity of Beira Interior, PortugalCapa Anatolio Teacher Training School, TurkeyNational Institute for Training and Career Development in Education (NIOKSO), BulgariaNovancia Business School Paris, FranceUniversity of Zilina, SlovakiaProject ActivitiesStrand 1 Mapping Strand 2 E-survey Strand 3 Focus group interviews with teachersVisiting schools and collegesIdea exchange and case studies

OutputsSearchable Project wikiMappingTemplatesDataProcesses

Project report and CPD Framework Tool

Interview dataGrounded theory approach InductiveMultiple sources of data including individuals who do not share a common cultureData collection, coding and analysis occur concurrentlyResearcher enters the field and discovers the main concerns of participants and the way they resolve these problems1st level coding - open coding looking for patterns2nd level coding selective coding - Identification of core categories (most dense)

8High level codingConceptualisations of teachers and teachingRelationships with ITEModalities of CPDCPD decision makingMotivatorsSpaces and PlacesHigh Value LearningLow Value LearningImpact of CPD

Conceptualisations of teachers and teachingTeachers concepts of teaching are complex and variedLifelong aspiration.Value of working with children and young people. Pragmatic fit to lifestyle.Runs in the family or is an accidental career. Subject knowledge is important but not enough Pedagogical skills and relationships with learners are crucialFirst of all the good teacher should be a good person. The good teacher should also love children but from that they should be good professionals. Relationships with ITEInsufficient practice during ITE

Lack of knowledge of CPD through ITETime spent in classrooms varied considerably from just a few weeks to several months.The general consensus was that it is not enough. Practising teaching skills on peers rather than actual learners was seen as artificial.Some developed a proactive attititude towards their own learning throughout their careers. Few teachers found that promoting this attitude was embedded explicitly within ITE.What I missed was more practice.Modalities of CPDCPD may be bolted on or integrated; formal or informalBolt-on CPD is seen as important, but additional to their day-to-day role. Integrated CPD is almost a habit of mind and intrinsic to being a teacher, through formal or informal opportunities.We, the secondary teachers, we have to have a minimum of 25 hours training every year. So, we have to go wherever it is.We need to be in constant teacher training.

CPD decision makingChoice of CPD may be individual or negotiatedFor some teachers CPD is defined by their employers.It is more likely to be negotiated or fully controlled by teachers.every teacher decides for themselvesbasically you can do anything that is of particular interest for you.its, I would say, mutual.

MotivatorsMotivation for CPD is wide-rangingCommon drivers updating and innovation, learner-centeredness in meeting changing or specific needs. External motivators CPD linked to credits (Portugal) or pay progression (Slovakia)Internal motivators self-esteem, continual personal development and pleasure from students enjoyment of lessons. I never stop working on myself.MotivatorsI think every teacher should be interested in innovations in teaching and implementation of interesting methods in the classroom because the time in which we live is very dynamic and requires new approaches to ways of teaching and we need to understand the needs of the students...Spaces and PlacesSpaces and places for CPD are diverse Local, in-house (micro) CPD.Regional, national and international (macro) CPD conferences, networking and visits. Obstacles lack of time, insufficient funding and limited choice.Reading, e-learning and social networking were common forms of informal CPD. I had four days out of school to train externally but mostly its here on the job.Spaces and PlacesIm a geek I follow a lots of things on Twitter and on the internet and read a lot of the government stuff.I just ride in onlinewith the foreign teacher, foreigners, other teachers from other countries. And we share, we exchange our ideas, methods, you know, which techniques they useThere are teacher blogs. So I get some research, some new ideas from them and publishers, institutionsHigh Value Learning 1High value CPD micro communities of practiceSharing ideas, grappling with problems and talking to others formally and informally. More immersive activities, such as observing others, coaching and working collaboratively.What I value most is the communication with the teachers during the CPD opportunities; the exchange of experience with the other colleagues during the workshops; the discussion of new methods and strategies. seeing how to do it is really very essential and then having the reflection or the reflective moments after that, you can think about what youve done.High Value Learning 2High value CPD macro communities of practiceVisits to other countries and international collaboration. Macro becomes micro through local application of their learning. Many teachers expressed a desire to be involved in macro communities of practice.Im always chatting with my colleagues from other European countries and its really useful. We not only chat on the topic of the project. We also talk about our teaching experiences and we share new websites and we learn a lot from each other.Low Value LearningLow value learning is less applicable to practiceAbstract teaching of theory.Learning was not important, relevant or applicable to practice.Externally imposed with insufficient time to embed in practice.I learned more from the other teachers than from the methodical part.Impact of CPDImpact involves applicationImmediate application to benefit students.Sometimes long-term impact was noticed. Teachers described the influence of CPD on their self-esteem, confidence, recognition and promotion.Dissemination to colleagues, in particular verbally, was routine for many teachers.everything that we do should have a positive impact on the pupilsWell, the biggest impact is that I learnt to see each of my students as a unique she has, he has different interests.Impact of CPDIf I learn new things, new methods, I try to apply them in my classes as well as I canFor me, I think that what Im always looking for is to have some input on how I can do it better with my students. How can I transmit whatever I think is needed for them in a better way and that they will be interested in learning it, in listening to it.recently I went on some literacy training, something that another school does. And I brought things back into the school and weve already implemented them and started using them at schoolImpact of CPDMy CPD has made me much more reflective and self-aware within the school and within my management role. And also, with my new development, professional development, not only teaching and learning process, I changed my overall life, my private life, you know, my life in societyyou would pass on the knowledge, the skills, the understanding that you have been given through training to others. And so it keeps going and keeps going.