Teachers
Content
ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF COMMERCE DEPARTMENT OF MARKETING MANAGEMNT PEDAGOGY presentation on teachers professional development
By Seid Yesuf Tesfaye W/Giorgis Tesfaye Wedajo Shishay Mulu Nurhusen Desalegn Yetaseb Seyum
1
Aug. 2013
OUTLINE
Introduction Meanings:
Professional, Teaching, Development Concept of professional development Why professional development? Approaches in teachers professional development The practice in Ethiopian TPD
•
•
•
Professional development refers to the development of a person in his or her professional role. Professional development is the process of improving and increasing capabilities of staff throug h access to education and training op portunities in the workplace, through outside organization, or through watching others perform the job. A growth that occurs through the professional cycle of a teacher (Glattenhorn, 1987)
Teacher
development is the professional growth a teacher achieves as a result of gaining increased experience and examining his or her teaching systematically”(Glatthom,1995). The professional development of teachers goes beyond a merely informative stage; it implies
adaptation to change with a view to changing teaching and learning activities, altering teacher attitudes and improving the academic results of students.
The
professional development of teachers is concerned with individual, professional
and organizational needs”
1990, p. 4);
(Heideman,
TEACHERS PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT CHARACTERISTICS
1.
Based on constructivism and not on transmissive models
Teacher is regarded as someone who learns actively while being involved in specific teaching tasks, through evaluation, observation and reflection
2. Long term process - teachers learn over
time
is considered to be more effective if it allows teachers to link new experiences with former knowledge
Experience
3. Process which takes place in
specific contexts
Associate
training situations with classroom practices The most effective experiences are based on the school and connected to the daily activities carried out by teachers
4. Directly related to school reform processes
Process
that tends to reconstruct school culture and in which teachers are involved as professionals
5. The teacher is viewed as a reflective practice
Possession
of former knowledge when entering a profession and continues to acquire more knowledge through reflection on his/her own experience PD activities consist of helping teachers to construct new theories and new pedagogical practices 6. Collaborative process, though there may be room for isolated work and reflection
7. PD adopt different forms
in different contexts
There
is no single professional development model that is effective and applicable to all schools. Schools and teachers should evaluate their own needs, beliefs and cultural practices in order to decide which professional development model seems more beneficial to them.
1. THE CONCEPT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS‘
Educators must understand the concepts in processing professional development and what it means to education. The National Staff Development Council (2007) created a set of nine standards that all professional development should follow. This include content
1. knowledge
and quality teaching, 2. research-basis, 3. collaboration, 4. diverse learning needs, 5. student learning environments, 6. family involvement, 7. evaluation, 8. data-driven design, and 9. teacher learning.
Professional
development refers to the development of a person in his or her professional role. by gaining increased experience in one‘s teaching role they systematically gain increased experience in their professional growth through examination of their teaching ability. Glattenhorn (1987), Professional workshops and other formally related meetings are a part of the professional development experience (Ganzer, 2000).
Much
broader in scope than career development, professional development is defined as a growth that occurs through the professional cycle of a teacher (Glattenhorn, 1987). Moreover, professional development and other organized in-service programs are deigned to foster the growth of teachers that can be used for their further development (Crowther et al, 2000).
Much
of the available research on professional development involves its relationship to student achievement. Variables are the school, teacher, student level related to the level of learning within the classroom, parent and community involvement, instructional strategies, classroom management, curriculum design, student background knowledge, and student motivation (Marzano, 2003). Based upon a review of several studies, Marzano (2003) concluded that the professional development activities experienced by teachers have a similar impact
specifically, ―teacher development is the professional growth a teacher achieves as a result of gaining increased experience and examining his or her teaching systematically‖ (Glatthom,1995). Professional development includes formal experience (such as attending workshops and professional meetings, mentoring, etc.) and informal experiences (such as reading professional publications, watching
More
A
teacher is conceived of as a reflective practitioner, someone who enters the profession with a certain knowledge base, and who will acquire new knowledge and experience based on the prior knowledge (CochranSmith &Lytle, 2001). In so doing, the role of professional development is to aid teachers in building new pedagogical theories and practices and to help them develop their expertise in the field (Dodds,
Teachers‘
professional development has two main phases: initial preparation and continuing professional development. Initial teacher training most often takes the form of full-time residential pre-service programs in teachers‘ colleges or universities.
a.
It may also be available to serving unqualified teachers through distance education, ‗out-of-school‘ programs during vacations or on release from schools for extended periods of time. The professional components of initial teacher training programs can be either consecutive (successive, following logical sequence) or concurrent (taking place, running parallel, at the same time) with academic subject.
b. According to the thesaurus of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) database, professional development refers to "activities to enhance professional career growth." Such activities may include individual development, continuing education, and in service education, as well as curriculum writing, peer collaboration, study groups, and peer coaching or mentoring.
Professional
development goes beyond the term 'training' with its implications of learning skills, and encompasses a definition that includes formal and informal means of helping teachers not only learn new skills
also develop new insights into pedagogy and their own practice, and explore new or advanced understandings of content and resources.
but
So,
professional development includes support for teachers as they encounter the challenges that come with putting into practice their evolving understandings about the use of technology to support inquirybased learning. Current technologies offer resources to meet these challenges and provide teachers with a cluster of supports that help them continue to grow in their professional skills, understandings, and interests.
1.2 THE CONTEXT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT(PD)
PD can succeed only in settings, or contexts, that support it. Probably the most critical part of that support must come from administrators (McLaughlin & Marsh, 1978). The outcome of every PD initiative will depend ultimately on whether its administrators consider it important. Administrators are those: state directors, superintendents, or principals is critical to success. Another characteristic of contexts that support PD is that they are conducive to the changes that the PD is designed to bring about.
Before change can take place there must be a shared sense of need for change—the more strongly and widely felt the better. For example, simply telling teachers that scores on standardized assessments must improve is not enough to generate the sense of urgency that institutional change requires. If the professionals in a given setting agree about problems and solutions, institutional change is possible, even likely. When they disagree, the likelihood of change is limited. Creating a shared sense of need for change requires the use of diagnostic tools such as the DART Model, Which helps schools assess their need for impr/t by identifying school wide gaps in student performance.
Whether a given context is conducive to change will depend on the extent to which the belief systems of its teaching professionals agree. Change is far more likely in contexts in which there is consensus on the answers to certain basic questions: Is learning a conscious act involving memorization of facts, or is it an awakening of consciousness that results from exploration? Is the teacher‘s job to serve as a facilitator or to present information to passive participants? Is learning a private experience or does it evolves through social interaction? Teachers‘ beliefs about the answers to these and other fundamental questions play a significant role in teaching efficacy (Barfield & Burlingame, 1974;
THE CONTENT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PD cannot succeed with out strong content. The content of the PD that is associated with high-performing schools is always focused and serves a well-planned long-term strategies. To be effective, PD should be based on curricular and instructional strategies that have a high probability of affecting student learning—and, just as important, students‘ ability to learn (Joyce and Showers, 2002). In addition, professional development should
I.
II. III.
IV.
V.
Deepen teachers‘ knowledge of the subjects being taught; Sharpen teaching skills in the classroom; Keep up with developments in the individual fields, and in education generally; Generate and contribute new knowledge to the profession; and Increase the ability to monitor students‘ work, in order to provide constructive feedback to students and appropriately redirect teaching (The National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century, 2000).
PD should always address identified gaps in student achievement The content of PD should center on subject matter, pedagogical weaknesses within the organization, measurement of student performance, and inquiry regarding professional questions that are relevant to the setting in which the PD is delivered. Teacher PD can focus on real issues and avoid providing information that may not benefit the participants. Or it should focus on instructional strategies that are proven to impact student performance.
1.3 AN EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (PDP)
1. Actively engages educators in the improvement process: One facet(aspect of sth) is Improvement and Accountability is to encourage local needs assessments, problem solving, planning and decision making in which teams of educators, identify needs, clarify goals, plan programs, monitor them, and make adjustments. Once needs are identified to improve student per/nce, administrators and planners should use teacher expertise, wherever possible, in the preparation, development, and delivery of
2. Continually updates the teacher's knowledge base and awareness: PDP must provide teachers with new knowledge and skills so that they remain current in content and in best practices. Educators also need ongoing training in the use of educational technology, as well as, information in technology in the work place. PDP planners must ensure that teachers receive training that will enable them to assess students in the learning process despite differences in their cultural and/or economic backgrounds.
3. Provides professional training for teachers whose curriculum has changed due to changes in technology: Applied technology and work force devt for current and emerging industries requires teachers for careers in an industry to stay current in all technical skills, laws, and processes required by the industry. The technical advisory committees for the various applied technology programs perform a critical role in advising teachers, administrators, and students of changes in technology and occupational skill requirements.
Business
and industry advisory committee members are full partners in the continuing improvement of quality programs by assuring the teachers are given timely updates of needed changes. Advisory committee input, field-based training, frequent returns to industry, training provided through professional associations, and training provided by industrial equipment suppliers is important to the various career related programs.
4. Establishes a collaborative environment based on professional inquiry : Effective PD emphasizes a team approach. Peter Senge suggests that problems facing education, business, and industry are too intense to be solved by one person. Teachers too must achieve INTERDEPENDENCE with others in the workplace. PD strategies are most likely to be successful when teachers are encouraged to reflect on their own practices, identify problems and possible solutions, share ideas about instruction, engage in scholarly reading and research, and try out new strategies in their classrooms to see how they work. Staff networking, clinical education partnerships with universities in peer coaching, business industry partnerships and training, and mentoring are important tools in long-range PD planning.
Peer coaching is where teachers help each other, offers a non-threatening env‘t in which teachers can implement new techniques and ideas and receive collegial feedback. Mentoring can be especially beneficial to new teachers this mutually beneficial r/ship with an experienced educator might include an exchange of teaching materials and information, observation and assistance with classroom skills, or field-testing of new teaching methods.
5. Is continuously improved by follow-up: PD in service is targeted that provides a continuous process for learning, implementation, and followup. PD is not a selection of isolated presentations given by an expert or consultant. Effective in service includes introductory training as well as a plan for ongoing monitoring, enhancement, and follow-up of learning. Research corroborates the need for follow-up that continues long enough for new behaviors learned during introductory training to be incorporated into teachers‘ ongoing practice (Sparks and Loucks-Horsley, 1989).
Planners can build this kind of reinforcement into PDP in a number of ways including: Providing opportunities to practice new methods in coaching situations, Arranging for ongoing assistance and support, and Systematically collecting feedback from teachers. 6. Is actively and continuously supported by administrators: Numerous studsies reveal that active support by principals and district administrators is crucial to the success of any targeted improvement effort.
This supportive role begins with leadership that places a high priority on PD & this: Promotes communication, and fosters a spirit of collegiality. It extends to the thoughtful allocation of resources including time, follow-up on student performance, and evaluation of the implementation of targeted change 7. Attributes of the Professional Educator: The goal underlying any PD in service program is: To prepare educators in the competencies needed to improve students‘ success in postsecondary education and the workplace. Shortly after the creation of Florida‘s System of School Improvement and Accountability, the Education Standards Commission began a project to identify and validate those teachers‘ competencies necessary to accelerate this initiative.
The Commission‘s efforts focused on preparing teachers to b proficient in helping students achieve higher and more rigorous standards. The Commission identified twelve broad principles and key indicators that reflect the high performance standards require of teachers. These Accomplished Practices are summarized below: Uses teaching and learning strategies that reflect each student's culture, learning styles, special needs, and socioeconomic background (Diversity); Uses assessment strategies (traditional and alternative) to assist the continuous development of the learner (Assessme );
Plans, implements, and evaluates effective instruction in a variety of learning environments ( Planning); Uses an understanding of learning and human development to provide a positive learning environment that supports the intellectual, personal, and social development of all students (Human Development and Learning); Creates and maintains positive learning environments in which students are actively engaged in learning, social interaction, cooperative learning, and selfmotivation(Learning Environments); Uses effective communication techniques with students and all other stakeholders(Communications);
Uses appropriate techniques and strategies that promote and enhance the critical, creative, and evaluative thinking capabilities of students ( Critical Thinking ); Uses appropriate technology in teaching and learning processes (Technology); Works with various education professionals, parents, and other stakeholders in the continuous improvement of the educational experiences of students ( Role of the Teacher); Engages in continuous professional quality improvement for self and school (Continuous Improvement) Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the subject matter ( Knowledge and Understanding ); and Adheres to the Code of Ethics and Principles of Professional Conduct of the Education Profession in Florida ( Ethics and Principles)
IMPORTANT?
Professional development: is opportunity for teachers to obtain knowledge, participate in training, gain & practice skills around many crucial areas that impact their daily professional lives & have positive impacts on the learners, families & national economy . It refers to development of a person in his/her specific professional role. The more the teachers know, the better trained they are at their jobs, the more skills they possess, then the safer, better cared & the more educationally prepared learners.
THROUGH:
Setting predetermined objectives that must indicate & stress desired outcomes of learning at any level. Understanding of interrelationships among instructional elements & application of the communication strategies. Understanding & application of universal, essential & compulsory principles of teaching. Understanding of learners’ learning Styles & being variable & flexible. Making active learning practical.
KNOWLEDGE NEEDED BY TEACHERS GROUPED IN TO FIVE DOMAINS:
Relationships. Classroom/Learning Environments. Instruction. Assessment. Professionalism.
IMPORTANCE
OF PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT:
Importance of professional Development is : Derived demand from the demand for doing things in professional way. A Continuous improvement processes ranging from enter to education to retirement. A process that teachers prepare themselves, continuously update themselves, review & reflect on their own performance. A process through which learners & teachers acquire new knowledge & skill. The process of improving & increasing capabilities of staff through access to educ ation & training opportunities in workplace, through outside organization/through watching others‘ performance.
IMPORTANCE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVE… A process of achieving the highest quality human resources & professionals. Helping to build & maintain moral of staff members & is thought to attract higher quality staff to an organization. A process through which teachers are successfully preparing learners for the future & they must be prepared for the future themselves.
The
effectiveness of different professional development approaches is an issue of much debate in the literature on professional development.
3. APPROACHES IN TEACHERS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
3.1. MODELS FOR TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
TPD (also known as ―in-service‖ or ―teacher education‖): is the instruction provided to teachers to promote their development in a certain area. It is the tool by which policymakers‘ visions for change are disseminated and conveyed to teachers. Though the recipient of TPD is the teacher, the ultimate beneficiary is the student.
According to Gaible and Burns (2005:25) TPD can be divided into three broad categories:1. Standardized TPD: The most centralized approach, best used to disseminate information and skills among large teacher populations. 2. Site-based TPD: Intensive learning by groups of teachers in a school or region, promoting deep and long-term changes in instructional methods. 3. Self-directed TPD: Independent learning, sometimes initiated at the learner‘s discretion, using available resources that may include computers and the Internet.
1. STANDARDIZED TPD
Standardized TPD typically represents a centralized approach, involving workshops, and training sessions. and in many cases the cascade model of scaled delivery. Generally, focus on the exploration of new concepts and the demonstration and modeling of skills. When employed in accordance with best practices standardized approaches can effectively: Expose teachers to new ideas, new ways of doing things Disseminate knowledge and instructional methods to teachers throughout a country or region Visibly demonstrate the commitment of a nation or vendor or project to a particular course of action
PROS:
Standardized TPD can be very effective in building awareness about computers, learner-centred instruction and/or new curricula. In the cascade model (training the trainer), a small group of teachers are selected to receive intensive training before returning to their own institutions to provide ICT training for their peers – serving as ‗champion teachers‖ or a ―vanguard team‖. The cascade model has tremendous potential particularly with regard to support provision at school level.
CONS:
Teachers are constructed as knowledge consumers with the responsibility to bring what they have learned back to their classrooms and put it into practice Workshops taking place at one time and in one location without on-going support rarely result in effective changes for teaching and learning. Cascade training flows down through levels of less experienced trainers until it reaches the target group; in the process, complex information tends to be lost.
Without incentives to motivate teachers to participate, collaborate and experiment with new strategies, teachers may be unwilling to ‗take advantage‘ of their ‗more knowledgeable‘ colleagues in the TPD ‗vanguard teams‘. 2. Site-based TPD Site based TPD often focuses on the specific, situational problems that individual teachers encounter as they try to implement new techniques in their classroom practices.
PROS:
site-based TPD can be most effective when delivered “in connection with a school development plan” (ibid). foster the development of the new learning culture desired (Wenger, 2000 cited in ibid.).
CONS:
Site-based approaches are time- and labour intensive requiring locally-based TPD providers skilled in facilitation, instruction, content, curriculum, assessment and technology – as well as in mentoring teachers to find solutions in low-resource environments appropriate to their needs and contexts. The establishment and maintenance of a network of facilitators to meet the needs of large-scale TPD programs would be a challenge for any educational system
3. SELF-DIRECTED TPD
In self-directed TPD, teachers are involved in initiating and designing their own professional development and would share materials and ideas as well as discuss challenges and solutions.
PROS:
This approach to professional development helps teachers to become models of lifelong learners. Informal versions of self-directed TPD find teachers seeking out experienced colleagues for advice or searching for lesson plans on the Internet.
PD IN THE PRACTICE OF ETHIOPIA TEACHER EDUCATION
STRUCTURE OF ETHIOPIA‘S EDUCATION SYSTEM
The
organization and management of the educational system follows the decentralized administrative structure of the government: It is divided into nine National Regional States and two City Administrations. Each region/city administration has its own Bureau of Education (REB), Zonal Educational Departments bridge various Woreda Education Offices (WEOs) and Kebeles with their Kebele Education and Training Boards (KETBs) responsible for administrating and managing the educational system.
Except for tertiary educational institution, each Regional State Education Bureau is both administratively and financially responsible for general education, and technical and vocational education and training as well as teacher training and other diploma level colleges (public and private) that operate in their respective Regional States. The management of the education system is thus a collective responsibility of the MoE, the REBs and WEOs. The education structure offers 8 years of primary education, in two cycles each having four years duration. Secondary education comprises four more years, divided into two cycles each having two years duration. The overall delivery mode of the education system encompasses both formal and non-formal education.
The formal education program has further been divided into pre-primary, general education, technical-vocational and tertiary education subprograms.
EDUCATION SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME(ESDP)
According to UNESCO reports, Ethiopia historically has felt that work is more important than education, so they start at a very early age with little to no education. Social awareness that education is important is something that Ethiopia lacks but has improved gradually.
The ESDP encompasses all aspects of the formal and non-formal educational systems - the curricula; teacher training; educational inputs; educational finance; organization and management; the structure of education; career structure of teachers; assessment and evaluation of sector policies and programs.
QUALITY OF LEARNING
Now ‗Ethiopia has placed education at the centre of its strategies for development and democratization, this indicates the need to move forward to strengthen analytical, conceptual, and meaningful learning which requires students to understand, mobilize, and communicate about knowledge in the creative and flexible ways that the 21st century demands.‘ (2006,American Institutes for Research) In the Ethiopian context, three variables are central to determine the relevance and quality of education: student-textbook ratio, share of qualified teachers, and learning achievement:
EDUCATION AND TRAINING POLICY(ETP)
The 1994 ETP gave special attention to teacher training and professional development to remedy the crises of education in Ethiopia. To this effect, the MoE carried out an extensive study entitled ―A Critical Review of the Quality and Effectiveness of the Teacher Education System in Ethiopia‖ in 2001. The study cast light on the weaknesses and strengths of teacher development. The report concluded that the system‘s ability to provide education in accordance with the goals of the ETP was weakened by several factors.
The Main problem was teachers‘ qualification and pedagogical skills required to perform, which in turn were constrained by: difficult working environment: large and heterogeneous classes, minimal teaching resources, poor physical infrastructure weak pre-service preparation and lack of continuing in-service professional development an overly academic, irrelevant and ill-understood curriculum an examination system that discourages active learning, creative thinking and the development of higher-order thinking skills weak management and leadership lack of professional identity as educators lack of internalised professional values, ethics and self-esteem lack of status and regard within the society low morale inadequate rewards poor living conditions
TEACHER EDUCATION SYSTEM OVERHAUL (TESO)
This resulted in a reform known as ‗Teacher Education System Overhaul‘ (TESO), which later developed into the ‗Teacher Development Program‘ (TDP) in 2003.
The purpose of TDP is to improve the knowledge, skills, qualifications and attitudes of teachers(primary and secondary ), with a view to ensuring (a) the proportion of lower primary(1-4) teachers fully qualified (b) proportion of upper primary(5-8) teachers fully qualified; (c) share of secondary(9-12) teachers fully qualified, and (d) improvement in performance of teachers to promote active learning methodology.
TEACHER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM‘ (TDP) 2003
The program is organized and implemented under six priority areas:
Higher Diploma Program (HDP), Pre-service Education, In-service upgrading and Continuous professional development program, Leadership and Management Program (LAMP) and English Language Improvement Program (ELIP).
It is owned and managed by the MoE, and financed by six bilateral agencies with a support from a coordinating committee drawn from key partners. Ex. Finland, USAID,
The Mid-Term Review report of TDP in 2006, however, indicated that ―none of these ESDP targets have been met so far, although there has been a considerable increase in the share of qualified teachers at each level of the school system‖ According to the report and as can also be seen from the Education Statistics Annual Abstract (MoE, 2004/05) the gap between ESDP target and progress was found wide, as indicated below. Example :
Targeted at 2004/05 1 Primary school/with teaching certificate
Actual
Difference -2%
99%primary and 97.2% secondary
2
Upper primary school teaching diploma
80%
54.8%
-25%
Teachers, supervisors and principals especially at the upper primary and secondary schools do not have the qualifications required, and are unavailable in the required numbers. For example, in Tigray 50% of the upper primary and 79% of the secondary school teachers are under qualified.
Moreover ……… The research findings showed that most of the TVET teachers neither perceive themselves as professionals nor as active learners. These perceptions are found to be one of the major barriers to their learning and development. Professional collaborations in the schools are minimal and teaching is sought as an isolated individual activity; a secluded task for the teacher. Self-directed learning initiatives and individual learning projects are not strongly evident.
Knowledge
and application of pedagogical skills in active/student learning methodology, selfcontained classroom and continuous assessment techniques is reportedly unsatisfactory. main reasons mentioned include: lack of proper training, poor incentive mechanisms, overcrowded classrooms, poor school facilities and inadequate learning resources.
The
ACCORDING TO MOE (2005) IN ETHIOPIAN:
(1) CPD is compulsory requirement for those who teach in all educational establishments, (2) CPD is the civic and professional duty of all educators, (3)All schools are required to produce school improvement plans in order to improve the quality of teaching and learning, (4) CPD is an essential part of school improvement which is divided into four domains. These domains are: learning and teaching, student environment, leadership and environment, and community involvement (5) each institution must have a CPD plan which outlines the CPD priorities for the year.
CONCLUSION
To achieve quality education, Recommendations include change in the schools culture, a paradigm shift in teacher education approach and practice, and development of educational policies that support the professionalization of teachers.
Areas for further theoretical research and empirical enquiry are also suggested to support the learning and professional development of the teachers in Ethiopia. The goal of the Teacher Learning and Professional Development model is to bring research based 21st Century thinking practices that accelerate the quality of teaching practices to the front lines.
THANK YOU!!!
By Seid Yesuf Tesfaye W/Giorgis Tesfaye Wedajo Shishay Mulu Nurhusen Desalegn Yetaseb Seyum
1
Aug. 2013
OUTLINE
Introduction Meanings:
Professional, Teaching, Development Concept of professional development Why professional development? Approaches in teachers professional development The practice in Ethiopian TPD
•
•
•
Professional development refers to the development of a person in his or her professional role. Professional development is the process of improving and increasing capabilities of staff throug h access to education and training op portunities in the workplace, through outside organization, or through watching others perform the job. A growth that occurs through the professional cycle of a teacher (Glattenhorn, 1987)
Teacher
development is the professional growth a teacher achieves as a result of gaining increased experience and examining his or her teaching systematically”(Glatthom,1995). The professional development of teachers goes beyond a merely informative stage; it implies
adaptation to change with a view to changing teaching and learning activities, altering teacher attitudes and improving the academic results of students.
The
professional development of teachers is concerned with individual, professional
and organizational needs”
1990, p. 4);
(Heideman,
TEACHERS PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT CHARACTERISTICS
1.
Based on constructivism and not on transmissive models
Teacher is regarded as someone who learns actively while being involved in specific teaching tasks, through evaluation, observation and reflection
2. Long term process - teachers learn over
time
is considered to be more effective if it allows teachers to link new experiences with former knowledge
Experience
3. Process which takes place in
specific contexts
Associate
training situations with classroom practices The most effective experiences are based on the school and connected to the daily activities carried out by teachers
4. Directly related to school reform processes
Process
that tends to reconstruct school culture and in which teachers are involved as professionals
5. The teacher is viewed as a reflective practice
Possession
of former knowledge when entering a profession and continues to acquire more knowledge through reflection on his/her own experience PD activities consist of helping teachers to construct new theories and new pedagogical practices 6. Collaborative process, though there may be room for isolated work and reflection
7. PD adopt different forms
in different contexts
There
is no single professional development model that is effective and applicable to all schools. Schools and teachers should evaluate their own needs, beliefs and cultural practices in order to decide which professional development model seems more beneficial to them.
1. THE CONCEPT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS‘
Educators must understand the concepts in processing professional development and what it means to education. The National Staff Development Council (2007) created a set of nine standards that all professional development should follow. This include content
1. knowledge
and quality teaching, 2. research-basis, 3. collaboration, 4. diverse learning needs, 5. student learning environments, 6. family involvement, 7. evaluation, 8. data-driven design, and 9. teacher learning.
Professional
development refers to the development of a person in his or her professional role. by gaining increased experience in one‘s teaching role they systematically gain increased experience in their professional growth through examination of their teaching ability. Glattenhorn (1987), Professional workshops and other formally related meetings are a part of the professional development experience (Ganzer, 2000).
Much
broader in scope than career development, professional development is defined as a growth that occurs through the professional cycle of a teacher (Glattenhorn, 1987). Moreover, professional development and other organized in-service programs are deigned to foster the growth of teachers that can be used for their further development (Crowther et al, 2000).
Much
of the available research on professional development involves its relationship to student achievement. Variables are the school, teacher, student level related to the level of learning within the classroom, parent and community involvement, instructional strategies, classroom management, curriculum design, student background knowledge, and student motivation (Marzano, 2003). Based upon a review of several studies, Marzano (2003) concluded that the professional development activities experienced by teachers have a similar impact
specifically, ―teacher development is the professional growth a teacher achieves as a result of gaining increased experience and examining his or her teaching systematically‖ (Glatthom,1995). Professional development includes formal experience (such as attending workshops and professional meetings, mentoring, etc.) and informal experiences (such as reading professional publications, watching
More
A
teacher is conceived of as a reflective practitioner, someone who enters the profession with a certain knowledge base, and who will acquire new knowledge and experience based on the prior knowledge (CochranSmith &Lytle, 2001). In so doing, the role of professional development is to aid teachers in building new pedagogical theories and practices and to help them develop their expertise in the field (Dodds,
Teachers‘
professional development has two main phases: initial preparation and continuing professional development. Initial teacher training most often takes the form of full-time residential pre-service programs in teachers‘ colleges or universities.
a.
It may also be available to serving unqualified teachers through distance education, ‗out-of-school‘ programs during vacations or on release from schools for extended periods of time. The professional components of initial teacher training programs can be either consecutive (successive, following logical sequence) or concurrent (taking place, running parallel, at the same time) with academic subject.
b. According to the thesaurus of the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) database, professional development refers to "activities to enhance professional career growth." Such activities may include individual development, continuing education, and in service education, as well as curriculum writing, peer collaboration, study groups, and peer coaching or mentoring.
Professional
development goes beyond the term 'training' with its implications of learning skills, and encompasses a definition that includes formal and informal means of helping teachers not only learn new skills
also develop new insights into pedagogy and their own practice, and explore new or advanced understandings of content and resources.
but
So,
professional development includes support for teachers as they encounter the challenges that come with putting into practice their evolving understandings about the use of technology to support inquirybased learning. Current technologies offer resources to meet these challenges and provide teachers with a cluster of supports that help them continue to grow in their professional skills, understandings, and interests.
1.2 THE CONTEXT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT(PD)
PD can succeed only in settings, or contexts, that support it. Probably the most critical part of that support must come from administrators (McLaughlin & Marsh, 1978). The outcome of every PD initiative will depend ultimately on whether its administrators consider it important. Administrators are those: state directors, superintendents, or principals is critical to success. Another characteristic of contexts that support PD is that they are conducive to the changes that the PD is designed to bring about.
Before change can take place there must be a shared sense of need for change—the more strongly and widely felt the better. For example, simply telling teachers that scores on standardized assessments must improve is not enough to generate the sense of urgency that institutional change requires. If the professionals in a given setting agree about problems and solutions, institutional change is possible, even likely. When they disagree, the likelihood of change is limited. Creating a shared sense of need for change requires the use of diagnostic tools such as the DART Model, Which helps schools assess their need for impr/t by identifying school wide gaps in student performance.
Whether a given context is conducive to change will depend on the extent to which the belief systems of its teaching professionals agree. Change is far more likely in contexts in which there is consensus on the answers to certain basic questions: Is learning a conscious act involving memorization of facts, or is it an awakening of consciousness that results from exploration? Is the teacher‘s job to serve as a facilitator or to present information to passive participants? Is learning a private experience or does it evolves through social interaction? Teachers‘ beliefs about the answers to these and other fundamental questions play a significant role in teaching efficacy (Barfield & Burlingame, 1974;
THE CONTENT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PD cannot succeed with out strong content. The content of the PD that is associated with high-performing schools is always focused and serves a well-planned long-term strategies. To be effective, PD should be based on curricular and instructional strategies that have a high probability of affecting student learning—and, just as important, students‘ ability to learn (Joyce and Showers, 2002). In addition, professional development should
I.
II. III.
IV.
V.
Deepen teachers‘ knowledge of the subjects being taught; Sharpen teaching skills in the classroom; Keep up with developments in the individual fields, and in education generally; Generate and contribute new knowledge to the profession; and Increase the ability to monitor students‘ work, in order to provide constructive feedback to students and appropriately redirect teaching (The National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century, 2000).
PD should always address identified gaps in student achievement The content of PD should center on subject matter, pedagogical weaknesses within the organization, measurement of student performance, and inquiry regarding professional questions that are relevant to the setting in which the PD is delivered. Teacher PD can focus on real issues and avoid providing information that may not benefit the participants. Or it should focus on instructional strategies that are proven to impact student performance.
1.3 AN EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (PDP)
1. Actively engages educators in the improvement process: One facet(aspect of sth) is Improvement and Accountability is to encourage local needs assessments, problem solving, planning and decision making in which teams of educators, identify needs, clarify goals, plan programs, monitor them, and make adjustments. Once needs are identified to improve student per/nce, administrators and planners should use teacher expertise, wherever possible, in the preparation, development, and delivery of
2. Continually updates the teacher's knowledge base and awareness: PDP must provide teachers with new knowledge and skills so that they remain current in content and in best practices. Educators also need ongoing training in the use of educational technology, as well as, information in technology in the work place. PDP planners must ensure that teachers receive training that will enable them to assess students in the learning process despite differences in their cultural and/or economic backgrounds.
3. Provides professional training for teachers whose curriculum has changed due to changes in technology: Applied technology and work force devt for current and emerging industries requires teachers for careers in an industry to stay current in all technical skills, laws, and processes required by the industry. The technical advisory committees for the various applied technology programs perform a critical role in advising teachers, administrators, and students of changes in technology and occupational skill requirements.
Business
and industry advisory committee members are full partners in the continuing improvement of quality programs by assuring the teachers are given timely updates of needed changes. Advisory committee input, field-based training, frequent returns to industry, training provided through professional associations, and training provided by industrial equipment suppliers is important to the various career related programs.
4. Establishes a collaborative environment based on professional inquiry : Effective PD emphasizes a team approach. Peter Senge suggests that problems facing education, business, and industry are too intense to be solved by one person. Teachers too must achieve INTERDEPENDENCE with others in the workplace. PD strategies are most likely to be successful when teachers are encouraged to reflect on their own practices, identify problems and possible solutions, share ideas about instruction, engage in scholarly reading and research, and try out new strategies in their classrooms to see how they work. Staff networking, clinical education partnerships with universities in peer coaching, business industry partnerships and training, and mentoring are important tools in long-range PD planning.
Peer coaching is where teachers help each other, offers a non-threatening env‘t in which teachers can implement new techniques and ideas and receive collegial feedback. Mentoring can be especially beneficial to new teachers this mutually beneficial r/ship with an experienced educator might include an exchange of teaching materials and information, observation and assistance with classroom skills, or field-testing of new teaching methods.
5. Is continuously improved by follow-up: PD in service is targeted that provides a continuous process for learning, implementation, and followup. PD is not a selection of isolated presentations given by an expert or consultant. Effective in service includes introductory training as well as a plan for ongoing monitoring, enhancement, and follow-up of learning. Research corroborates the need for follow-up that continues long enough for new behaviors learned during introductory training to be incorporated into teachers‘ ongoing practice (Sparks and Loucks-Horsley, 1989).
Planners can build this kind of reinforcement into PDP in a number of ways including: Providing opportunities to practice new methods in coaching situations, Arranging for ongoing assistance and support, and Systematically collecting feedback from teachers. 6. Is actively and continuously supported by administrators: Numerous studsies reveal that active support by principals and district administrators is crucial to the success of any targeted improvement effort.
This supportive role begins with leadership that places a high priority on PD & this: Promotes communication, and fosters a spirit of collegiality. It extends to the thoughtful allocation of resources including time, follow-up on student performance, and evaluation of the implementation of targeted change 7. Attributes of the Professional Educator: The goal underlying any PD in service program is: To prepare educators in the competencies needed to improve students‘ success in postsecondary education and the workplace. Shortly after the creation of Florida‘s System of School Improvement and Accountability, the Education Standards Commission began a project to identify and validate those teachers‘ competencies necessary to accelerate this initiative.
The Commission‘s efforts focused on preparing teachers to b proficient in helping students achieve higher and more rigorous standards. The Commission identified twelve broad principles and key indicators that reflect the high performance standards require of teachers. These Accomplished Practices are summarized below: Uses teaching and learning strategies that reflect each student's culture, learning styles, special needs, and socioeconomic background (Diversity); Uses assessment strategies (traditional and alternative) to assist the continuous development of the learner (Assessme );
Plans, implements, and evaluates effective instruction in a variety of learning environments ( Planning); Uses an understanding of learning and human development to provide a positive learning environment that supports the intellectual, personal, and social development of all students (Human Development and Learning); Creates and maintains positive learning environments in which students are actively engaged in learning, social interaction, cooperative learning, and selfmotivation(Learning Environments); Uses effective communication techniques with students and all other stakeholders(Communications);
Uses appropriate techniques and strategies that promote and enhance the critical, creative, and evaluative thinking capabilities of students ( Critical Thinking ); Uses appropriate technology in teaching and learning processes (Technology); Works with various education professionals, parents, and other stakeholders in the continuous improvement of the educational experiences of students ( Role of the Teacher); Engages in continuous professional quality improvement for self and school (Continuous Improvement) Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the subject matter ( Knowledge and Understanding ); and Adheres to the Code of Ethics and Principles of Professional Conduct of the Education Profession in Florida ( Ethics and Principles)
IMPORTANT?
Professional development: is opportunity for teachers to obtain knowledge, participate in training, gain & practice skills around many crucial areas that impact their daily professional lives & have positive impacts on the learners, families & national economy . It refers to development of a person in his/her specific professional role. The more the teachers know, the better trained they are at their jobs, the more skills they possess, then the safer, better cared & the more educationally prepared learners.
THROUGH:
Setting predetermined objectives that must indicate & stress desired outcomes of learning at any level. Understanding of interrelationships among instructional elements & application of the communication strategies. Understanding & application of universal, essential & compulsory principles of teaching. Understanding of learners’ learning Styles & being variable & flexible. Making active learning practical.
KNOWLEDGE NEEDED BY TEACHERS GROUPED IN TO FIVE DOMAINS:
Relationships. Classroom/Learning Environments. Instruction. Assessment. Professionalism.
IMPORTANCE
OF PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT:
Importance of professional Development is : Derived demand from the demand for doing things in professional way. A Continuous improvement processes ranging from enter to education to retirement. A process that teachers prepare themselves, continuously update themselves, review & reflect on their own performance. A process through which learners & teachers acquire new knowledge & skill. The process of improving & increasing capabilities of staff through access to educ ation & training opportunities in workplace, through outside organization/through watching others‘ performance.
IMPORTANCE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVE… A process of achieving the highest quality human resources & professionals. Helping to build & maintain moral of staff members & is thought to attract higher quality staff to an organization. A process through which teachers are successfully preparing learners for the future & they must be prepared for the future themselves.
The
effectiveness of different professional development approaches is an issue of much debate in the literature on professional development.
3. APPROACHES IN TEACHERS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
3.1. MODELS FOR TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
TPD (also known as ―in-service‖ or ―teacher education‖): is the instruction provided to teachers to promote their development in a certain area. It is the tool by which policymakers‘ visions for change are disseminated and conveyed to teachers. Though the recipient of TPD is the teacher, the ultimate beneficiary is the student.
According to Gaible and Burns (2005:25) TPD can be divided into three broad categories:1. Standardized TPD: The most centralized approach, best used to disseminate information and skills among large teacher populations. 2. Site-based TPD: Intensive learning by groups of teachers in a school or region, promoting deep and long-term changes in instructional methods. 3. Self-directed TPD: Independent learning, sometimes initiated at the learner‘s discretion, using available resources that may include computers and the Internet.
1. STANDARDIZED TPD
Standardized TPD typically represents a centralized approach, involving workshops, and training sessions. and in many cases the cascade model of scaled delivery. Generally, focus on the exploration of new concepts and the demonstration and modeling of skills. When employed in accordance with best practices standardized approaches can effectively: Expose teachers to new ideas, new ways of doing things Disseminate knowledge and instructional methods to teachers throughout a country or region Visibly demonstrate the commitment of a nation or vendor or project to a particular course of action
PROS:
Standardized TPD can be very effective in building awareness about computers, learner-centred instruction and/or new curricula. In the cascade model (training the trainer), a small group of teachers are selected to receive intensive training before returning to their own institutions to provide ICT training for their peers – serving as ‗champion teachers‖ or a ―vanguard team‖. The cascade model has tremendous potential particularly with regard to support provision at school level.
CONS:
Teachers are constructed as knowledge consumers with the responsibility to bring what they have learned back to their classrooms and put it into practice Workshops taking place at one time and in one location without on-going support rarely result in effective changes for teaching and learning. Cascade training flows down through levels of less experienced trainers until it reaches the target group; in the process, complex information tends to be lost.
Without incentives to motivate teachers to participate, collaborate and experiment with new strategies, teachers may be unwilling to ‗take advantage‘ of their ‗more knowledgeable‘ colleagues in the TPD ‗vanguard teams‘. 2. Site-based TPD Site based TPD often focuses on the specific, situational problems that individual teachers encounter as they try to implement new techniques in their classroom practices.
PROS:
site-based TPD can be most effective when delivered “in connection with a school development plan” (ibid). foster the development of the new learning culture desired (Wenger, 2000 cited in ibid.).
CONS:
Site-based approaches are time- and labour intensive requiring locally-based TPD providers skilled in facilitation, instruction, content, curriculum, assessment and technology – as well as in mentoring teachers to find solutions in low-resource environments appropriate to their needs and contexts. The establishment and maintenance of a network of facilitators to meet the needs of large-scale TPD programs would be a challenge for any educational system
3. SELF-DIRECTED TPD
In self-directed TPD, teachers are involved in initiating and designing their own professional development and would share materials and ideas as well as discuss challenges and solutions.
PROS:
This approach to professional development helps teachers to become models of lifelong learners. Informal versions of self-directed TPD find teachers seeking out experienced colleagues for advice or searching for lesson plans on the Internet.
PD IN THE PRACTICE OF ETHIOPIA TEACHER EDUCATION
STRUCTURE OF ETHIOPIA‘S EDUCATION SYSTEM
The
organization and management of the educational system follows the decentralized administrative structure of the government: It is divided into nine National Regional States and two City Administrations. Each region/city administration has its own Bureau of Education (REB), Zonal Educational Departments bridge various Woreda Education Offices (WEOs) and Kebeles with their Kebele Education and Training Boards (KETBs) responsible for administrating and managing the educational system.
Except for tertiary educational institution, each Regional State Education Bureau is both administratively and financially responsible for general education, and technical and vocational education and training as well as teacher training and other diploma level colleges (public and private) that operate in their respective Regional States. The management of the education system is thus a collective responsibility of the MoE, the REBs and WEOs. The education structure offers 8 years of primary education, in two cycles each having four years duration. Secondary education comprises four more years, divided into two cycles each having two years duration. The overall delivery mode of the education system encompasses both formal and non-formal education.
The formal education program has further been divided into pre-primary, general education, technical-vocational and tertiary education subprograms.
EDUCATION SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME(ESDP)
According to UNESCO reports, Ethiopia historically has felt that work is more important than education, so they start at a very early age with little to no education. Social awareness that education is important is something that Ethiopia lacks but has improved gradually.
The ESDP encompasses all aspects of the formal and non-formal educational systems - the curricula; teacher training; educational inputs; educational finance; organization and management; the structure of education; career structure of teachers; assessment and evaluation of sector policies and programs.
QUALITY OF LEARNING
Now ‗Ethiopia has placed education at the centre of its strategies for development and democratization, this indicates the need to move forward to strengthen analytical, conceptual, and meaningful learning which requires students to understand, mobilize, and communicate about knowledge in the creative and flexible ways that the 21st century demands.‘ (2006,American Institutes for Research) In the Ethiopian context, three variables are central to determine the relevance and quality of education: student-textbook ratio, share of qualified teachers, and learning achievement:
EDUCATION AND TRAINING POLICY(ETP)
The 1994 ETP gave special attention to teacher training and professional development to remedy the crises of education in Ethiopia. To this effect, the MoE carried out an extensive study entitled ―A Critical Review of the Quality and Effectiveness of the Teacher Education System in Ethiopia‖ in 2001. The study cast light on the weaknesses and strengths of teacher development. The report concluded that the system‘s ability to provide education in accordance with the goals of the ETP was weakened by several factors.
The Main problem was teachers‘ qualification and pedagogical skills required to perform, which in turn were constrained by: difficult working environment: large and heterogeneous classes, minimal teaching resources, poor physical infrastructure weak pre-service preparation and lack of continuing in-service professional development an overly academic, irrelevant and ill-understood curriculum an examination system that discourages active learning, creative thinking and the development of higher-order thinking skills weak management and leadership lack of professional identity as educators lack of internalised professional values, ethics and self-esteem lack of status and regard within the society low morale inadequate rewards poor living conditions
TEACHER EDUCATION SYSTEM OVERHAUL (TESO)
This resulted in a reform known as ‗Teacher Education System Overhaul‘ (TESO), which later developed into the ‗Teacher Development Program‘ (TDP) in 2003.
The purpose of TDP is to improve the knowledge, skills, qualifications and attitudes of teachers(primary and secondary ), with a view to ensuring (a) the proportion of lower primary(1-4) teachers fully qualified (b) proportion of upper primary(5-8) teachers fully qualified; (c) share of secondary(9-12) teachers fully qualified, and (d) improvement in performance of teachers to promote active learning methodology.
TEACHER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM‘ (TDP) 2003
The program is organized and implemented under six priority areas:
Higher Diploma Program (HDP), Pre-service Education, In-service upgrading and Continuous professional development program, Leadership and Management Program (LAMP) and English Language Improvement Program (ELIP).
It is owned and managed by the MoE, and financed by six bilateral agencies with a support from a coordinating committee drawn from key partners. Ex. Finland, USAID,
The Mid-Term Review report of TDP in 2006, however, indicated that ―none of these ESDP targets have been met so far, although there has been a considerable increase in the share of qualified teachers at each level of the school system‖ According to the report and as can also be seen from the Education Statistics Annual Abstract (MoE, 2004/05) the gap between ESDP target and progress was found wide, as indicated below. Example :
Targeted at 2004/05 1 Primary school/with teaching certificate
Actual
Difference -2%
99%primary and 97.2% secondary
2
Upper primary school teaching diploma
80%
54.8%
-25%
Teachers, supervisors and principals especially at the upper primary and secondary schools do not have the qualifications required, and are unavailable in the required numbers. For example, in Tigray 50% of the upper primary and 79% of the secondary school teachers are under qualified.
Moreover ……… The research findings showed that most of the TVET teachers neither perceive themselves as professionals nor as active learners. These perceptions are found to be one of the major barriers to their learning and development. Professional collaborations in the schools are minimal and teaching is sought as an isolated individual activity; a secluded task for the teacher. Self-directed learning initiatives and individual learning projects are not strongly evident.
Knowledge
and application of pedagogical skills in active/student learning methodology, selfcontained classroom and continuous assessment techniques is reportedly unsatisfactory. main reasons mentioned include: lack of proper training, poor incentive mechanisms, overcrowded classrooms, poor school facilities and inadequate learning resources.
The
ACCORDING TO MOE (2005) IN ETHIOPIAN:
(1) CPD is compulsory requirement for those who teach in all educational establishments, (2) CPD is the civic and professional duty of all educators, (3)All schools are required to produce school improvement plans in order to improve the quality of teaching and learning, (4) CPD is an essential part of school improvement which is divided into four domains. These domains are: learning and teaching, student environment, leadership and environment, and community involvement (5) each institution must have a CPD plan which outlines the CPD priorities for the year.
CONCLUSION
To achieve quality education, Recommendations include change in the schools culture, a paradigm shift in teacher education approach and practice, and development of educational policies that support the professionalization of teachers.
Areas for further theoretical research and empirical enquiry are also suggested to support the learning and professional development of the teachers in Ethiopia. The goal of the Teacher Learning and Professional Development model is to bring research based 21st Century thinking practices that accelerate the quality of teaching practices to the front lines.
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