The major purpose of the study was to analyze the role of the normal universities in China in the field of teacher professional development. In order to achieve this purpose, the following two questions guided this research: 1) What efforts are normal universities in China making in continuing teacher education? 2) What are the factors that support or inhibit normal universities in these endeavors? The research includes case studies of four Chinese normal universities as well as a comparison to the work of universities in Ontario, Canada. In-depth interviews were utilized as the major data collecting method, and document review was used as a supplementary method. The participants included university administrators, university teacher educators and government administrators. The study outlined the current state of normal universities’ work in the field of in-service teacher education by reviewing the larger policy context around teacher development in China and how it contributes to the development of this work. In addition, the study identified key issues and major challenges normal universities face in taking part in in-service teacher education system. The study found that government policy on in-service teacher education in China is currently dominating the work of provincial governments and normal universities. The training programs delivered by normal universities are often university-based, intensive teacher learning and result from contracts between universities and either central or provincial governments. Normal universities often feel poorly prepared in terms of institutional structure, promotion standards, and the number of well-qualified teacher training experts. Although willing to take an important position in the overall in-service teacher training system, normal universities lack confidence that they will be given consistent policy and financial support and are unclear about the direction of in-service teacher education reform in the future. Key findings of this study can be used to inform the role that Chinese Normal Universities might play in in-service teacher education that could lead to higher quality teaching and learning both at the university and school levels.

The major purpose of the study was to analyze the role of the normal universities in China in the field of teacher professional development. In order to achieve this purpose, the following two questions guided this research: 1) What efforts are normal universities in China making in continuing teacher education? 2) What are the factors that support or inhibit normal universities in these endeavors? The research includes case studies of four Chinese normal universities as well as a comparison to the work of universities in Ontario, Canada. In-depth interviews were utilized as the major data collecting method, and document review was used as a supplementary method. The participants included university administrators, university teacher educators and government administrators. The study outlined the current state of normal universities’ work in the field of in-service teacher education by reviewing the larger policy context around teacher development in China and how it contributes to the development of this work. In addition, the study identified key issues and major challenges normal universities face in taking part in in-service teacher education system. The study found that government policy on in-service teacher education in China is currently dominating the work of provincial governments and normal universities. The training programs delivered by normal universities are often university-based, intensive teacher learning and result from contracts between universities and either central or provincial governments. Normal universities often feel poorly prepared in terms of institutional structure, promotion standards, and the number of well-qualified teacher training experts. Although willing to take an important position in the overall in-service teacher training system, normal universities lack confidence that they will be given consistent policy and financial support and are unclear about the direction of in-service teacher education reform in the future. Key findings of this study can be used to inform the role that Chinese Normal Universities might play in in-service teacher education that could lead to higher quality teaching and learning both at the university and school levels.

In this dissertation the relationships among teachers' classroom contexts, teaching practices, personal practice theories and their learning from reform-based professional development were examined. This study is based on the cases of three high school science teachers whose participation in the Information Technology in Science (ITS) Center's professional development experience (PDE) resulted in different perceptions and interpretations. Qualitative and quantitative data, including classroom observations, in-depth interviews, teacher-generated written work from the PDE, and student classroom perceptions were analyzed and compared. The within-case analyses revealed that each teacher's thoughts, actions and perceptions were highly congruent. The cross-case analysis illuminated variations among the cases. Bandura's (1999) model of triadic reciprocal causation was applied as an interpretive frame. This frame was used to connect five indicators used in the study to coherently compare and evaluate the alignment of each teacher's thoughts, actions, and perceptions with the vision of reformbased teaching promoted by the ITS Center's PDE. Results of this interpretation show that the differences among the cases stemmed from the different problems the teachers believed reform-based teaching methods addressed. Recommendations for the design of PDEs include the importance of (a) focusing on flexible learning goals that can be meaningful and appropriate for all teachers, (b) understanding and engaging teachers' prior knowledge, (c) making changes in teachers' thinking visible and (d) keeping in mind the challenges involved in changing practice to reflect the recommendations of reform. Recommendations for future research include the development of learning trajectories for teachers with different orientations toward reform and deepening our current understandings of teacher educator expertise.

With numerous opportunities for professional development, teachers are inundated with a variety of workshop styles to choose from. In the development of the Life Through Time workshop, we have made every attempt to consider recent research that outlines the most effective methodologies in professional development implementation including consideration of existing conceptions, teacher motivation, and highly reflective engagement. The intention of this long-term professional development is to motivate teachers to implement changes in the delivery of content related to evolution in the science classroom. After reviewing the strategies implemented in this professional development opportunity, practices that were used can be extended to future teacher training programs. / text

Internationally, governments have recognized the significance of continuing teacher professional development in their attempts to reform their educational systems. However, not many have the resources and capacity to support teachers in this endeavor (Nelson & Slavit, 2008). Teachers‟ initiatives at their own professional development therefore become important steps towards realizing the goal of continuing teacher professional development and reforming the education sector. Using a case study approach, the study aimed to explore the use of cluster teaching as a form of teacher professional development in one cluster in Mpumalanga. It focuses on teachers‟ experiences of cluster teaching. Interviews and observations provided most of the data for this case study and analysis was ongoing during the data collection process. The views of participants and what I observed is presented before the analysis and interpretation is done. The argument developed in this study is that every form of teacher professional development is best suited for a particular purpose with particular kinds of teachers and hence, the need for as many forms as possible to meet the different purposes that PD has. Cluster teaching as a form of PD serves the purposes of helping teachers improve on their subject content and pedagogical knowledge and to have a positive impact on their attitudes and culture while at the same time helping to improve the performance of learners. When teacher-initiated, it acts as an effective form of teacher professional development and accountability and covers up for the lack of district support and poor resources in some schools. Such cluster teaching therefore becomes a productive way of improving teachers‟ professional practices in their own contexts.

This study is a response to shifts in literacy education produced by the new affordances of multimodal texts and changing social dynamics as a consequence of an increasingly digitised, networked communications environment. Acknowledging the powerful influence of the teacher on student outcomes, the study involved intervention in teacher professional learning as a means for influencing print based literacy pedagogy to incorporate multimodality literacy practices. This study is a case study of the professional learning of four teachers of primary school students over the course of eight months in a workplace based research project instigated by the researcher in her role reviewing early years literacy policy, programs and resources within the Department of Education, Victoria. Professional learning interventions deployed within a participatory action research methodology were found to be efficacious in involving case study teachers as researchers of their own practice and in enhancing teachers' professionalism in the operationalisation of multiliteracies. They also had the effect of impacting on professional knowledge, practice and identity. The study indicates that schemas emanating from the New London Group's multiliteracies theory acted as stimuli for expanding teacher repertoires of multimodality pedagogies, thereby addressing disjunctures between digitised multimodal literacy and the existing print based literacy pedagogical knowledge. The deployment of a 'multimodal schema' influenced teachers to expand the modes of meaning taught as literacy meaning-making resources. Deployment of a 'pedagogical knowledge processes schema' influenced teachers' reflective practices resulting in more knowing and purposeful pedagogical practices. Used as an analytical tool, a 'dimensions of meaning schema' also illustrated patterns in teachers' choices, revealing an arbitrary character in the development of a metalanguage for different modes of meaning making. Recommendations arising from the study addressed the areas of educational consultancy; educational filming; literacy policy development; multimodality; pedagogical knowledge processes; and participatory action research methodology. Future research agendas indicated by the findings were presented.

The study aims to explore the current conditions of teachers¡¦ attitudes toward teachers¡¦ professional evaluation in Kaohsiung junior high schools, and to apply the results of the study to provide suggestions to be references in the future. The study was conducted by means of questionnaire survey with ¡§Questionnaire on ¡§Teachers¡¦ Attitudes toward Teacher Evaluation in Kaohsiung Junior High Schools.¡¨ 600 teachers were randomly sampled from 34 public junior high schools in Kaohsiung County and Kaohsiung City. Among the collected questionnaires, 529 were valid, yielding a return rate of 88%. The collected data was analyzed by statistical methods, including mean, Standard Deviation, t-Test, one-way ANOVA. Based on the analyzed results, the followings were concluded: 1. The evaluation purposes are to help teachers improve their teaching approach and promote their professional development. The teachers of different positions and school locations have different opinions about the evaluation purposes. 2. The best evaluation method is self-evaluations by the teachers themselves. The teachers of different teaching course subjects, years of expericences, and positions have significant difference on the evaluation method. 3. The best criteria of teacher evaluation is ¡§study and learning¡¨. The teachers of different background have different opinions about the criteria of teacher evaluation. 4. The best methods of evaluation data collection are from class observations and using the teacher self-evaluation sheets. The teachers of different teaching course subjects, years of experiences, and positions have different opinions about the methods of evaluation data collection. 5. An ideal application of evaluation results is to provide teachers with a mean of improving themselves. The teachers of different positions and school locations have significant difference on the application of evaluation results. According to the conclusions mentioned above, a number of suggestions were proposed to the educational authorities, teacher training institutions, junior high school teachers and future educational researchers.

The purposes of this study are to explore the phenomena and the methods of Teacher Professional Evaluation (TPE) of junior high school in Kaohsiung City, including the positive efficiency from the TPE, the problems while practicing TPE, and the importance of teachers¡¦ opinions upon the contents of TPE, like appraisal indicators, methods to implement, ways to evaluate, procedures, application of results, opinions upon repeated evaluation, and evaluators. Besides exploring the differential reasons, some related and practical suggestions are also provided in this study to raise the effects of PTE and to develop the teachers¡¦ professional growth. Based on the literature review on teacher performance evaluation of elementary and junior high school in America, England and Australia, this study depends on ¡§Questionnaire upon the Phenomena and the Development of TPE in Junior High School.¡¨ According to the valid sample of 555 respondents of the junior high school teachers in Kaohsiung (72% respondents of 768 questionnairs), the data were dealt with by the software SPSS 8.0 and analyzed by means of descriptive statistics, T-Test, GLM-General Factoril, Pearson Product-moment Correlation, and Chi-Square Test. In this study, ten conclusions are obtained as the following: 1.Junior high school teachers who have been in service for more than 26 years, graduated from university or college, or serve concurrently as directors of offices give more consent to the importance of appraisal indicators. 2.Junior high school teachers highly admit the importance of evaluation contents, especially the class management, the service enthusiasm, the communication with students¡¦ parents and the ability of student counseling. 3.Junior high school teachers pay less approval to the continuous evaluation. 4.Male teachers, teachers in service for one to five years, teachers serving concurrently as directors of offices, teachers in private schools, or teachers in the schools whose number of classes is under 60 highly estimate the positive efficiency of TPE. 5.Almost half the teachers affirm the positive efficiency of TPE, particularly the aspect of teacher professional growth. 6.TPE is more difficult to implement upon the teachers who graduate from teachers¡¦ university or college, the teachers who are in service in public schools, or the teachers in the schools whose number of classes is over 61. 7.More than half the teachers think it very difficult to establish the appraisal indicators. 8.The positive efficiency of evaluation has negative corelation with the difficulty of facing problems. 9.Most teachers accept the ways of evaluation as the following: all the teachers should be evaluated, periodic evaluation depends on necessity, domain representatives participate in the evaluation, and teachers carry on self-examination. 10.Methods of evaluation in private schools are multiple and more efficient. KEY WORDS: Junior High School,Profession,Teacher Professional Evaluation

This study evaluated the third design iteration of a networked teacher professional development (nTPD) implementation. In particular, the study explored the kinds of teacher technology professional learning that resulted as a consequence of nTPD participation. As part of an ongoing design-based research program, the goal of this study was to evaluate the teacher learning resulting from participation in online-delivered TPD activities. In addition the results inform an evolving model of nTPD articulating the components and elements of the online learning activities that have value in supporting and/or advancing teacher practices. The results of this study indicate that teachers who participate in nTPD find the experiential learning activities and the sharing of resources and lesson plans to be valuable for their professional practice. NTPD, delivered in a social networking site environment, results in new kinds of teacher learning opportunities. Some of these new learning opportunities include shared digital curation activities and unique cognitive-apprenticeship type activities described further as “learning over the shoulders of giants.” In theory, nTPD provides teachers with opportunities to connect with others who are teaching in similar curricular areas to identify, develop, and share resources that can support their teaching practice. In practice, the articulation of a revised nTPD model and design principles provides developers of online-networked TPD with guidelines for the development of valued learning activities, particularly for technology TPD topics. / 2013-03

International test results posed concerns about the future of science education in Canada, the UK, and the USA. Stakeholders such as Let's Talk Science and AMGEN Canada and The Royal Society, UK observed that fewer students were pursuing post-secondary studies and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) related fields in their countries, compared to their counterparts in China, India and Singapore. These stakeholders contended that science teachers required the agency to enhance their classroom efficacy and to challenge their students to pursue post-secondary studies and careers in STEM related fields. Reform initiatives, including professional development programmes, have been established across western countries to support science teachers' agency to act as change agents. This study was based on two assumptions; first, science teachers need professional development, experiences to shape their professional identity to act as change agents in science education reform, and secondly, science teachers' professional identity may be influenced and reshaped through experiences during professional development. This research explored the influence on secondary school science teachers' professional identity by their experiences of professional development programmes. A methodological approach of hermeneutic phenomenology facilitated the understanding of science teachers' experiences, while a sociocultural theoretical framework based on Wenger's community of practice, underpinned the research. Narrative interviews, semi-structured interviews, and a questionnaire provided evidence from thirteen purposefully selected science teachers in one school board in Canada for this study. Interpretive phenomenological analysis of interviews and qualitative survey analysis of the questionnaire, identified cognitive development, social interactions, emotional changes, and change in beliefs and classroom practice as the science teacher's experiences of their professional development programme. Such experiences are regarded as indicators of influence on professional identity. The cognitive development, social interactions, and emotional changes experienced by the science teachers, are considered as their dimensions of experiences during learning. Although nine science teachers experienced change in their practice, two of the reported change sin their professional beliefs. It is significant that eleven science teachers did not experience a change in their beliefs, despite changes in their classroom practice. The science teachers who did not experience a change in their beliefs were confident of their existing professional identities that influenced their learning and their views regarding changes in their beliefs and practice. It appears that science teachers' prior professional identity was a determining factor in influencing and reshaping their professional identities. Nevertheless, findings from this study imply that, to some extent, science teachers' professional identity was influenced, perhaps not reshaped, by their experiences of their professional development programme. Findings fro my research have implications for science education reform-minded stakeholders and providers of in-service professional development programmes. They would be informed of research on the role of professional identity in professional learning and classroom practice in a climate of science education reform, as well as the role of prior professional identity in such initiatives.