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English language teachers’ perceptions on professional development: A case study of in-service teachers in Muğla

Year 2017, Volume: 6 Issue: 2, 205 - 217, 21.06.2017

Abstract




















Professional development (PD) is not
just a short term involvement but a long process starting from teacher training
at university and going on throughout the working life of the individuals.
Therefore, it is thought that teachers pass through different stages in their
careers and have different perceptions on their PD. Teachers’ thoughts,
attitudes, motivation, and the stages they pass through affect their perform ance
in the workplace. This study aims to reveal the perceptions of English language
teachers on PD and what kind of practices they employ to become more
professional. It is a descriptive and explorative case study into professional
development of in-service teachers. During the data collection and analysis,
qualitative research design was employed. By employing a purposeful sampling,
the qualitative data were gathered from 9 non-native English in-service teachers
working at different state schools in the west of Turkey during the spring term
of 2016-2017 education year. Semi-structured interviews were benefitted to
collect data. The analysis showed that teachers
were aware of the significance and necessity of PD and saw it as a process
which helped them to be more knowledgeable and experienced. They also pointed
out that involving in such studies could increase their motivation and
confidence.

References

  • Atay, D. (2006). Teachers' professional development: Partnerships in research. Tesl-Ej, 10(2), 1-14. Blandford, S. (2000). Managing professional development in schools. London: Routledge. Bolam, R. (2000). Emerging policy trends: some implications for continuing professional development. Journal of In-Service Education, 26(2), 267-280. Borko, H., and Putnam, R. T. (1995). Expanding a teacher’s knowledge base: A cognitive psychological perspective on professional development. In Guskey, T, R and Huberman, M. (Eds), Professional development in education: new paradigms and practices. (pp. 35-65). New York: Teachers College Press. Boyle, B., While, D. and Boyle, T. (2004). A longitudinal study of teacher change: what makes professional development effective?. The Curriculum Journal, 15(1), 45-68. Brown, D. H. (2000). Principles of language learning and teaching. (4th ed.). New York: Longman. Burden, P. R. (1982). Developmental supervision: Reducing teacher stress at different career stages. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Teacher Educators. Phoenix. Arizona. Burke, P.J., Christensen, J. C., and Fessler, R. (1984). Teacher career stages: Implications for staff development. Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation. Retrieved from Eric Database. (ED 250276) Caena, F. (2011), Literature review: quality in teachers’ continuing professional development. Retrieved from: http://scholar.google.co.za/scholar?hl=en&q=Caena%2C+F.+%282011%29.+Literature+review%3A+quality+in+teachers%E2%80%99+continuing+professional+development.+European+Commission.&btnG=&as_sdt=1%2C5&as_ sdtp=. Craft, A. (1996) Continuing professional development: a practical guide for teachers and schools. London : Routledge. Crandall, J. 2001. Keeping up to date as an ESL or EFL professional. In Celce-Murcia, M. (Ed.), Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language, (pp. 535-552). Boston: Heinle and Heinle. Desimone, L.M. (2009). Improving impact studies of teachers’ professional development: toward better conceptualizations and measures. Educational Researcher, 38(3), 181-199. Dikilitaş, K. (2015). Professional development through teacher-research. Teacher-researchers in action, 47-55. Duke, D.L., and Stiggins, R.J. (1990). Beyond minimum competence: evaluation for professional development. In J.Millman and L.Darling-Hammond (Eds.), Handbook for the evaluation of elementary and secondary teachers. (pp. 116-132). Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Ekşi, G. (2010). An assessment of the professional development needs of English language instructors working at a state university. Unpublished thesis of the Master of Science. The Graduate School of Social Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara. Fullan, M. (2001). The New meaning of educational change. New York: Teachers College Press. Fuller, F. and Bown, O. (1975). Becoming a teacher. In K. Ryan (ed.), Teacher Education (74th Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education. Part 2, pp.25-52). Chicago: university of Chicago Press. Online available at https://www.scribd.com/doc/208183569/Becominga-Teacher-by-Frances-Fuller-Oliver Bown-1975 Garet, , M.S., Porter, A.C., Desimone, L., Birman, B.F., and Yoon, K. S. (2001). What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 815-945 Glatthorn, A. (1995). Teacher development. In L.W. Anderson (Ed.). International Encyclopedia of Teaching and Teacher Education. (2nd Edition). London: Pergamon Press. Guskey, T.R. (2002). Professional development and teacher change. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 8(3/4), 381-391. Hill, H. (2009). Fixing teacher professional development. Phi Delta Kappan, 90(7), 470-476. Retrieved March 2017, from http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/Archive/pdf/k0903hil.pdf Kennedy, J. (1995). Getting to the heart of the matter - the marginal teacher. The Teacher Trainer, 9(1), 10-14. McDonald, L. (2009). Teacher change: a dynamic interactive approach. The International Journal of Learning, 16(10), 623-636. McDonnell, J. H., Christensen, J. C., and Price, J. R. (1989). Teachers’ career stages and availability and appropriateness of incentives in teaching. ERIC Document 318704. Miles, M. B., and Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: A sourcebook. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications. OECD (2005). Teachers Matter: Attracting, Developing and Retaining Effective Teachers, Education and Training Policy. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/education/preschoolandschool/attractingdevelo pingandretainingeffectiveteachers-finalreportteachersmatter.htm Özdemir, M. S. (2013). Exploring the Turkish teachers’ professional development experiences and their needs for professional development. Mevlana International Journal of Education. 3(4), pp. 250-264 Rinaldi, A. G. P. (2007). Teachers’ perspectives of career-stage appropriateness of professional learning programs. E.d. Dissertation. University of Georgia, Athens. Ur, P. (1991). A course in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge Univesity Press. Watts, H. (1980). Starting out, moving on, running ahead or how the teachers’ center can attend to stages in teachers’ development. National Institute of Education, Washington, D.C. Wyatt, M. (2010). Teachers researching their own practice. ELT journal, 65(4), 417-425. Yin, R.K., (1984). Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Beverly Hills, Calif: Sage Publications. Zehir Topkaya, E., and Çelik, H. (2016). Non-native English Language Teachers’ Perceptions of Professional Development: Implications for Career Stages. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 232, 5-11.
Year 2017, Volume: 6 Issue: 2, 205 - 217, 21.06.2017

Abstract

References

  • Atay, D. (2006). Teachers' professional development: Partnerships in research. Tesl-Ej, 10(2), 1-14. Blandford, S. (2000). Managing professional development in schools. London: Routledge. Bolam, R. (2000). Emerging policy trends: some implications for continuing professional development. Journal of In-Service Education, 26(2), 267-280. Borko, H., and Putnam, R. T. (1995). Expanding a teacher’s knowledge base: A cognitive psychological perspective on professional development. In Guskey, T, R and Huberman, M. (Eds), Professional development in education: new paradigms and practices. (pp. 35-65). New York: Teachers College Press. Boyle, B., While, D. and Boyle, T. (2004). A longitudinal study of teacher change: what makes professional development effective?. The Curriculum Journal, 15(1), 45-68. Brown, D. H. (2000). Principles of language learning and teaching. (4th ed.). New York: Longman. Burden, P. R. (1982). Developmental supervision: Reducing teacher stress at different career stages. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Teacher Educators. Phoenix. Arizona. Burke, P.J., Christensen, J. C., and Fessler, R. (1984). Teacher career stages: Implications for staff development. Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation. Retrieved from Eric Database. (ED 250276) Caena, F. (2011), Literature review: quality in teachers’ continuing professional development. Retrieved from: http://scholar.google.co.za/scholar?hl=en&q=Caena%2C+F.+%282011%29.+Literature+review%3A+quality+in+teachers%E2%80%99+continuing+professional+development.+European+Commission.&btnG=&as_sdt=1%2C5&as_ sdtp=. Craft, A. (1996) Continuing professional development: a practical guide for teachers and schools. London : Routledge. Crandall, J. 2001. Keeping up to date as an ESL or EFL professional. In Celce-Murcia, M. (Ed.), Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language, (pp. 535-552). Boston: Heinle and Heinle. Desimone, L.M. (2009). Improving impact studies of teachers’ professional development: toward better conceptualizations and measures. Educational Researcher, 38(3), 181-199. Dikilitaş, K. (2015). Professional development through teacher-research. Teacher-researchers in action, 47-55. Duke, D.L., and Stiggins, R.J. (1990). Beyond minimum competence: evaluation for professional development. In J.Millman and L.Darling-Hammond (Eds.), Handbook for the evaluation of elementary and secondary teachers. (pp. 116-132). Newbury Park, CA: Sage. Ekşi, G. (2010). An assessment of the professional development needs of English language instructors working at a state university. Unpublished thesis of the Master of Science. The Graduate School of Social Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara. Fullan, M. (2001). The New meaning of educational change. New York: Teachers College Press. Fuller, F. and Bown, O. (1975). Becoming a teacher. In K. Ryan (ed.), Teacher Education (74th Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education. Part 2, pp.25-52). Chicago: university of Chicago Press. Online available at https://www.scribd.com/doc/208183569/Becominga-Teacher-by-Frances-Fuller-Oliver Bown-1975 Garet, , M.S., Porter, A.C., Desimone, L., Birman, B.F., and Yoon, K. S. (2001). What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 815-945 Glatthorn, A. (1995). Teacher development. In L.W. Anderson (Ed.). International Encyclopedia of Teaching and Teacher Education. (2nd Edition). London: Pergamon Press. Guskey, T.R. (2002). Professional development and teacher change. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 8(3/4), 381-391. Hill, H. (2009). Fixing teacher professional development. Phi Delta Kappan, 90(7), 470-476. Retrieved March 2017, from http://www.pdkmembers.org/members_online/publications/Archive/pdf/k0903hil.pdf Kennedy, J. (1995). Getting to the heart of the matter - the marginal teacher. The Teacher Trainer, 9(1), 10-14. McDonald, L. (2009). Teacher change: a dynamic interactive approach. The International Journal of Learning, 16(10), 623-636. McDonnell, J. H., Christensen, J. C., and Price, J. R. (1989). Teachers’ career stages and availability and appropriateness of incentives in teaching. ERIC Document 318704. Miles, M. B., and Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: A sourcebook. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications. OECD (2005). Teachers Matter: Attracting, Developing and Retaining Effective Teachers, Education and Training Policy. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/education/preschoolandschool/attractingdevelo pingandretainingeffectiveteachers-finalreportteachersmatter.htm Özdemir, M. S. (2013). Exploring the Turkish teachers’ professional development experiences and their needs for professional development. Mevlana International Journal of Education. 3(4), pp. 250-264 Rinaldi, A. G. P. (2007). Teachers’ perspectives of career-stage appropriateness of professional learning programs. E.d. Dissertation. University of Georgia, Athens. Ur, P. (1991). A course in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge Univesity Press. Watts, H. (1980). Starting out, moving on, running ahead or how the teachers’ center can attend to stages in teachers’ development. National Institute of Education, Washington, D.C. Wyatt, M. (2010). Teachers researching their own practice. ELT journal, 65(4), 417-425. Yin, R.K., (1984). Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Beverly Hills, Calif: Sage Publications. Zehir Topkaya, E., and Çelik, H. (2016). Non-native English Language Teachers’ Perceptions of Professional Development: Implications for Career Stages. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 232, 5-11.
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Details

Journal Section ELT Research Journal
Authors

Sabriye Şener

Ayten Çokçalışkan

Publication Date June 21, 2017
Submission Date May 25, 2017
Published in Issue Year 2017 Volume: 6 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Şener, S., & Çokçalışkan, A. (2017). English language teachers’ perceptions on professional development: A case study of in-service teachers in Muğla. ELT Research Journal, 6(2), 205-217.