Tertiary teachers who travel to another country for professional development encounter difficulties studying in different cultural and educational contexts. This research study investigated how Saudi Arabian teachers of adult learners experience learning about teaching during a New Zealand professional development course. It is part of a larger investigation into ways to improve curriculum design for in-service teacher education short courses for international teachers. A single case study was undertaken to investigate the views of a group of male Saudi Arabian teachers from tertiary technical institutions while in Aotearoa New Zealand to learn the English language, computing studies and adult education. An interpretive, participant observation method was used involving group interviews, written questionnaire, and personal journal. Focus groups were conducted at the beginning and end of the professional development programme to solicit pre-course expectations, identify post-course views of the in-service teacher education programme, and seek suggestions for improvements for future courses. Using a grounded theory approach, a coded analysis of the findings was conducted drawing out emergent themes from the participants’ comments. The findings were grouped into four tensions experienced by the participants. These included, the priority given to learning English language over improving their teaching skills; responding to boredom and lack of student engagement, and difficulties managing student behaviour as part of the student-teacher relationship; a desire to learn new practical teaching methods, rather than being taught the theory of teaching and learning; and differences between the Saudi Arabian and New Zealand learning environments. Responses to these tensions are discussed alongside a framework for high quality learning activities and implications are drawn for improving inter-relationships between teacher and learner. A mismatch was identified between prior expectations and assumptions by the participants and the actual design of the curriculum. Cultural issues are discussed in the context of different educational worldviews, including the status and roles of the teacher in Western and Arab societies, employing a critical pedagogy, and curriculum design for teacher professional development. A model is proposed of deliberate acts of culturally responsive teaching which may assist teacher educators in higher education and support the sustainability of in-service professional development for international teachers.

The present study was a case study which aimed at exploring pre-service teachers’ perceptions of PPG-SM3T program for their professional development. PPG-SM3T program is a professional development program for pre-service teacher in Indonesia. Research design of this study was quantitative design and used convenience sampling. The sample was 60 pre-service teachers who graduated from PPG-SM3T program in a state university in central Indonesia. Instrument used to collect data for the present study was questionnaire and analysis consisted of Principal Component Analysis, Reliability test, and Exploratory Data Analysis were done in order to analyse the data. From the results of analysis, it was found that generally pre-service teachers who took PPG-SM3T program in the mentioned university response positively toward the program. It was found to be very effective for most of them as a preparation to be professional teachers. Workshop and field teaching practice were two features in the program that particularly helpful to prepare them to be professional teacher. However, it was also found that more supervision is needed for pre-service teacher during the program as well as non-teaching activities. Some specific cases also need to be considered for future improvement.

This thesis analyses the implementation of a student-centred learning approach at the Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM), in the context of the current curricular reform. The main objective of the thesis is to gain understanding of the implementation of a student-centred learning approach and how the innovation is related to the acquisition of teachers’ pedagogical competence at the above mentioned university. A sociocultural approach and more specifically Cultural Historical Activity Theory is used as a theoretical framework given that it provides a view of learning as a context based social activity. A qualitative approach based on document analysis, classroom observations and semi-structured interviews with different actors in the process of teaching, learning and teacher training was used. The findings of the three studies carried out and presented in four articles in the thesis show that the lecturers do not feel ownership of the curriculum reform introducing the new pedagogical approach, and revealed a conflict of interests in the process of implementation of the reform. Students appear to be unclear about the significance of the new approach and they cannot judge if it is correctly implemented. Contextual factors such as a high number of students in the classroom, poor infrastructure and inadequate access to educational resources also affect the students’ performance in their learning. The university teachers expressed a need for training and the creation of adequate material conditions in order to be able to apply the innovations. However, signs of positive attitudes towards this approach were also revealed by the informants, which demonstrates the existing potential of the reform. It was found that the role of the teacher is crucial in making students active, motivated and self-regulated. Moreover, the students’ active learning depends on several factors, such as contextual, social and psychological aspects of the process. In relation to the acquisition of teachers’ pedagogical competence, a comparative study of the official documents of Eduardo Mondlane University and Umeå University explicitly shows a focus on the development of pedagogical competence for all categories of teachers. However, due to significant differences in historical pre-conditions, cultural contexts and educational artefacts the findings revealed many differences in the corresponding collective activity systems. In conclusion, the thesis indicates that the implementation of student-centred learning at UEM depends on the availability of good educational infrastructure and also the development of human resources. Furthermore, less hierarchical communication at the university could accelerate the process.

The researcher’s professional role as an Education Officer was the impetus for this study. Designing and implementing professional development activities is a significant component of the researcher’s position description and as a result of reflection and feedback from participants and colleagues, the creation of a more effective model of professional development became the focus for this study. Few studies have examined all three links between the purposes of professional development that is, increasing teacher knowledge, improving teacher practice, and improving student outcomes. This study is significant in that it investigates the nature of the growth of teachers who participated in a model of professional development which was based upon the principles of Lesson Study. The research provides qualitative and empirical data to establish some links between teacher knowledge, teacher practice, and student learning outcomes. Teacher knowledge in this study refers to mathematics content knowledge as well as pedagogical-content knowledge. The outcomes for students include achievement outcomes, attitudinal outcomes, and behavioural outcomes. As the study was conducted at one school-site, existence proof research was the focus of the methodology and data collection. Developing over the 2007 school year, with five teacher-participants and approximately 160 students from Year Levels 6 to 9, the Lesson Study-principled model of professional development provided the teacher-participants with on-site, on-going, and reflective learning based on their classroom environment. The focus area for the professional development was strategising the engagement with and solution of worded mathematics problems. A design experiment was used to develop the professional development as an intervention of prevailing teacher practice for which data were collected prior to and after the period of intervention. A model of teacher change was developed as an underpinning framework for the development of the study, and was useful in making decisions about data collection and analyses. Data sources consisted of questionnaires, pre-tests and post-tests, interviews, and researcher observations and field notes. The data clearly showed that: content knowledge and pedagogical-content knowledge were increased among the teacher-participants; teacher practice changed in a positive manner; and that a majority of students demonstrated improved learning outcomes. The positive changes to teacher practice are described in this study as the demonstrated use of mixed pedagogical practices rather than a polarisation to either traditional pedagogical practices or contemporary pedagogical practices. The improvement in student learning outcomes was most significant as improved achievement outcomes as indicated by the comparison of pre-test and post-test scores. The effectiveness of the Lesson Study-principled model of professional development used in this study was evaluated using Guskey’s (2005) Five Levels of Professional Development Evaluation.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a curriculum design-based (CDB) professional development model on K–12 teachers’ capacity to integrate engineering education in the classroom. This teacher professional development approach differs from other training programs where teachers learn how to use a standard curriculum and adopt it in their classrooms. In a CDB professional development model teachers actively design lessons, student resources, and assessments for their classroom instruction. In other science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, CDB professional development has been reported to (a) position teachers as architects of change, (b) provide a professional learning vehicle for educators to reflect on instructional practices and develop content knowledge, (c) inspire a sense of ownership in curriculum decision-making among teachers, and (d) use an instructional approach that is coherent with teachers’ interests and professional goals. The CDB professional development program in this study used the Explore-Create-Share (ECS) framework as an instructional model to support teacher-led curriculum design and implementation. To evaluate the impact of the CDB professional development and associated ECS instructional model, three research studies were conducted. In each study, the participants completed a six-month CDB professional development program, the PTC STEM Certificate Program, that included sixty-two instructional contact hours. Participants learned about industry and education engineering concepts, tested engineering curricula, collaborated with K–12 educators and industry professionals, and developed project-based engineering curricula using the ECS framework. The first study evaluated the impact of the CDB professional development program on teachers’ engineering knowledge, self-efficacy in designing engineering curriculum, and instructional practice in developing project-based engineering units. The study included twenty-six teachers and data was collected pre-, mid-, and post-program using teacher surveys and a curriculum analysis instrument. The second study evaluated teachers’ perceptions of the ECS model as a curriculum authoring tool and the quality of the curriculum units they developed. The study included sixty-two participants and data was collected post-program using teacher surveys and a curriculum analysis instrument. The third study evaluated teachers’ experiences implementing ECS units in the classroom with a focus on identifying the benefits, challenges and solutions associated with project-based engineering in the classroom. The study included thirty-one participants and data was collected using an open-ended survey instrument after teachers completed implementation of the ECS curriculum unit. Results of these three studies indicate that teachers can be prepared to integrate engineering in the classroom using a CDB professional development model. Teachers reported an increase in engineering content knowledge, improved their self-efficacy in curriculum planning, and developed high quality instructional units that were aligned to engineering design practices and STEM educational standards. The ECS instructional model was acknowledged as a valuable tool for developing and implementing engineering education in the classroom. Teachers reported that ECS curriculum design aligned with their teaching goals, provided a framework to integrate engineering with other subject-area concepts, and incorporated innovative teaching strategies. After implementing ECS units in the classroom, teachers reported that the ECS model engaged students in engineering design challenges that were situated in a real world context and required the application of interdisciplinary content knowledge and skills. Teachers also reported a number of challenges related to scheduling, content alignment, and access to resources. In the face of these obstacles, teachers presented a number of solutions that included optimization of one’s teaching practice, being resource savvy, and adopting a growth mindset.

As education reform initiatives around the world are becoming more focused on developing teacher professional development and school professional learning communities (PLCs), the role of school principal leadership in implementing reforms related to the government vision of teacher professional development and school PLC has come to be seen as important. This has also led to the establishment of leadership training programmes for school principals to assist these principals with their new role as leaders of school reform implementation. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the school principals' roles in leading teacher professional development in four public schools in similar socio-economic contexts, but with different levels of learner achievement, within the greater Cape Town area. Towards this end, the thesis relates professional development practices to the relevant policy - the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Professional Education and Development (the 'Framework'), to the Advanced Certificate of Education: School of Management and Leadership (ACE-SML) training curriculum and to the idea of a professional learning community, which is promoted by this policy and this training course. The research reported in this thesis draws on Pierre Bourdieu's concepts of field, habitus, capital, and doxa to conceptualise and describe the relationships between the various players and the ways in which these relationships affect teacher professional development practices and school PLC culture in the participating schools. Findings from this research reveal similarities and differences between the schools with regard to the roles of school senior leaders and the schools' approaches to teacher professional development practices. Ironically, government policy is taken less seriously in the three schools that achieve higher learning outcomes than in the school that achieves weaker outcomes. Instead of conforming to the policy, the approach in each of the three higher achieving schools is based on the history and values of the particular school, the preferences of the principals and whether or not the principal attended the school management and leadership training course.

This study explored Professional Teacher Technical Identity Development through the use of Mobile Technology. A sample of fifteen teachers was conveniently selected from one school in an urban setting. An action research was designed consisting of three phases. Each phase formed the basis of the next phase to identify the development of professional teacher technical identity. Data was collected using a written questionnaire, two reflective journals, an online questionnaire, focus group discussions, lesson reflections, and interviews. Each instrument was designed using the literature to identify factors that impact on the implementation of mobile technology in classrooms and teachers’ acceptance towards mobile technology. The results were interpreted using three existing models to create a framework: The Technology, Pedagogy and Content Knowledge model, Technology Acceptance Model and Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition Model. It was found that there are six factors that affect the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of technology. These are attitude, anxiety, ability, subjective norm, facilitating conditions and voluntariness. The perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness determine the level at which technology is implemented in classrooms. The level of integration determines whether or not successful teaching in terms of the three elements of TPCK is being used. During the process whereby teachers attempt to implement technology in their classrooms, it is possible to identify changes in their professional teacher technical identity development. These changes are interpreted and a new framework for Professional Teacher Technical Identity Development is created. It is proposed that this framework can be used to explain the implementation process and behaviour of teachers during the process as their teacher identity is altered. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / PhD / Unrestricted

University writing programs increasingly serve student populations of growing diversity: more international students, first-generation students, disabled students, racial and ethnic minority students, and LGBTQ+ students, for example. Instructors thus teach in classrooms with many cultures and subcultures represented. Amid increasing demographic diversity, many writing programs seek to internationalize. In this dissertation, I investigate the current state of Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) in a university writing program as a potential avenue for internationalization. Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) is a social-justice-oriented, transformative approach to education that views cultural diversity as a resource, restructuring education settings to affirm students’ identities and home cultures. I evaluate CRT among a sample of 10 instructor participants and their students, propose a CRT assessment method, and suggest implementation of CRT as a sustainable, just, and resource-efficient method for writing program internationalization. I implement a mixed-methods research design that draws on both observational and self-report measures of CRT. Results indicate that instructor capabilities for CRT fall along a developmental spectrum. This developmental spectrum provides a useful model for assessment of CRT in a writing program context, as well as a basis for developing the CRT capabilities of instructors at both individual and programmatic levels. <br>

Denna studie har som syfte att undersöka upplevelsen av samarbetet mellan utbildad och outbildad personal inom fritidshemmets verksamhet. Detta har gjorts utifrån Biestas (2020) teori om de tre domänerna som är kvalifikation, socialisation och subjektifiering. Teorin Teacher professional development, förkortat TPD, används också i studien. Syftet valdes på grund av våra egna upplevelser av en problematik inom det kollegiala arbetet mellan den utbildade och outbildade personalen på fritidshem. Det finns dessutom väldigt lite forskning inom detta område, trots att en stor del av fritidshemmets personal är outbildade. Enligt Skolverket (2019) var det endast 37% som hade pedagogisk högskoleexamen som arbetade i fritidshemmets verksamhet under åren 2018/19 (Skolverket, 2019). Undersökningen utgår från kvalitativ metod genom intervjuer med fyra informanter på två skolor. Två utbildade och två outbildade. Materialet kodades under transkriberingen enligt de tre domäner Biesta skrivit om. Biesta skriver om hur subjektifiering är den domän som är svårast att greppa, något även vi kunnat bekräfta med denna studie. En annan upptäckt var att den utbildade personalens intervjuer hamnade mer i domänen för kvalifikation, den outbildade hamnade i domänen för socialisation. Slutsatsen som vi kunnat dra av detta är att outbildad personal inte har möjlighet att utvecklas inom domänerna kvalifikation och subjektifiering eftersom de inte har möjlighet att vara med på planeringar och andra möten. Detta leder till att den utbildade personalen blir överbelastad med det övriga arbetet och också får svårare att utvecklas inom domänen subjektifiering.

Professional development is more than marking an attendance register at a workshop. Professional development is a reflective process of continuous self-development that should inform the very essence of any learning context. This dissertation builds on how teachers experience school-initiated type-2 teacher professional development in secondary public schools and how their experiences may contribute to the work in the field of teacher professional development and assessment. Although a number of studies have examined teachers’ comprehension of the Continuous Professional Development framework in South Africa and the quality management policies, there is a considerable lack of literature on the relationship between the professional development of teachers and school improvement. The purpose of this dissertation is to understand teachers’ experiences with the implementation of Type-2 Continuous Professional Teacher Development activities in public high schools. The data for this qualitative study were collected through semistructured interviews and policy document analysis. The coded data were analysed and emerging themes were identified. The participants of this study consisted of teachers and members of the School Management Team. However, the study found that teachers perceived that there is a gap in the focus of professional development programmes. Teachers felt that the type-2 developmental activities seemed only for the benefit and achievement of the school’s goals, and do not adequately address the developmental needs of teachers themselves. The findings of this study argue that a culture of shared responsibility and leadership in secondary schools do indeed improve the development of teachers and the successful academic achievement of learners. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Education Management and Policy Studies / MEd / Unrestricted