This case study investigates how an ESL teacher's activity of self-directed journal writing can facilitate learning and function as a mediational tool for teacher professional development. The participant for this study is a native English speaker who taught an ESL freshman writing course in an American university. Since he had little time to…

In this article the authors report the findings of a collaborative partnership between university researchers and school teams of administrators and teachers and how different kinds of knowledge were negotiated during the process of undertaking action research. The authors' analysis sheds light on the subtle and complex negotiations that occur so…

Given the crucial issues of disproportionality and the growing diversity of our K-12 student population it is imperative that today's classroom teachers be prepared to critically examine, reflect on and respond to practices for learners with diverse needs and from diverse backgrounds. While effective teachers are the key to meeting the needs of…

The work of Lave and Wenger (1991; Wenger 1998) sets out a view of thinking about the development of professional expertise. In the case of novice teachers this considers them to be participating increasingly centrally in communities of fellow practitioners or "communities of practice". Lave and Wenger's view is that teachers, on joining schools,…

The aim of this study was to conduct research about independent learning in post-16 education in order to assist the author, a teacher and senior leader, with developing college-wide improvement strategies. The research consisted of observations and surveys of teachers and students at eight schools in Bedfordshire in order to investigate the…

This article presents a case study of the sociological effects of two Australian educational policies--one federal and one state--upon the professional development practices supported by a group of teachers and administrators working together across a cluster of six schools in a rural community in south-east Queensland, Australia. The article…

This paper asks who should be responsible for the design and delivery of improved continuing professional development (CPD). It also questions what roles teacher educators, subject specialists and experienced classroom practitioners should take in developing a research-led programme for practising teachers. The paper further reviews current…

Describes programs created specifically for the personal and professional development of women faculty and administrators, discussing the rationale for such initiatives, identifying issues within the culture of higher education that are of particular relevance to women, noting challenges to the concept of women-only courses, and presenting…

This article examines key issues in lecturer development programmes (LDPs) in Scottish higher education institutions, within the context of the national standards established recently for those who teach in United Kingdom higher education (HE). Many of the LDPs were developed in response to the Dearing Committee recommendations that university…