A study on how school-based continuing professional development of teachers could produce teacher changes in instructional practices from the viewpoints of teachers

Abstract

This study examines the ways to produce a successful transfer of the school-based continuing professional development activities into an improvement of classroom teaching from the viewpoints of teachers in a band one secondary school of Hong Kong. Both quantitative and qualitative methods in form of questionnaires and interviews were employed to obtain the data. The findings indicated that the continuing professional development activities that were related to curriculum and engaged teachers in collaborative work with more reflections were more effective to improve teachers’ instructions. Variables that facilitate and inhibit such learning transfer of professional development activities were discussed. To produce a successful transfer for teachers to put the learnt innovations into classroom practices, the school should have a systemic planning of the continued professional development activities through participatory decision-making that address to teacher needs with the necessary professional and resource support. However, it is found that the school-based continuing professional development of teachers is context-specific. Contextual variables like the school leadership and management, needs of teachers, departmental culture, and perceptions of individual teachers towards continuing professional development activities should be taken into consideration by school leaders in planning, implementing and evaluating the continued professional development activities to make them effective for improving teachers’ instructions and hence student outcome.