Purpose: This research seeks to explore the potential of Lesson Study as a vehicle to support professional development (PD) in a rural, Irish primary school. Lesson Study was utilised to design and implement integrated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) lessons with young children (ages 4-7 years). Design/methodology/approach:…

This article offers insights into the challenges and complexities of accredited national professional learning programmes that are collaboratively designed, led, and delivered. The article is framed within theoretical perspectives concerning large-scale system change, highlighting the importance of inter-professional relationships and joint work…

This research article contributes to the growing literature highlighting the potential for innovation in mathematics education through design cycles that involve creative risk-taking and failure-based learning. Specifically, we explore how "failed" cycles of Story"Circles"--a practice-based professional development approach…

Recent innovations in professional development are rife with a wide array of efforts focused on teacher collaboration. In this essay, we address some of the unexamined assumptions about the nature and significance of interactions in teacher professional collaboration, drawing on the concept of the "fourth wall" from theater and film…

All teachers, regardless of where they are in their career, should be valued and deserve relevant, applicable, and inspiring professional development both for the sake of their classrooms and their continued adult learning. To avoid the attitude of "I feel like I got this," one may suggest that schools providing music content-focused and…

There is a defined need to provide accessible and effective professional development for 4-H educators. Lesson study is a Community of Practice-based approach to educator professional development. Prior research has shown lesson study to be effective with 4-H staff, adult volunteers, and teen volunteers. This inquiry, a multisite case study, was…

The purpose of this quantitative correlational-associative study was to measure if or to what extent there was a relationship between factors of school culture and teacher work engagement for elementary school teachers in public school districts in Arizona. The overarching research question was, if and to what extent does a relationship exist…

In this era of rapid technology growth, many countries have begun to adopt emerging technologies into their educational systems to improve learning outcomes. The aim of this study is to explore the factors influencing teachers' experiences of technostress while using new technology in academic classrooms and how it might be mitigated. Prior…

We contend that the notion of critical friend is a legitimate consideration with respect to considering how to most effectively encourage professional relationships that support and enhance professional learning and development (PLD). This paper will firstly consider an overarching framework of professional relationships and define…

A significant contributor to student success is engagement in the school setting. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can be a helpful framework for increasing student engagement and creating an inclusive environment for all learners. This study investigated the relationship between teachers' understanding and implementation of Universal Design…

Over the last two decades, researchers have portrayed quality professional development for mathematics teachers as collaborative and situated in teachers' instructional realities. However, empirical findings also point out various impediments to transforming teacher conversations into consequential learning. These findings illuminate the need to…

The purpose of this mixed-methods phenomenological study was to investigate the relationship between professional learning community (PLC) implementation and teachers' perceptions of engagement, professional collaboration, professional growth, and ultimately collective teacher efficacy. This research study collected data from elementary school…

Technical and pedagogical counseling as accompaniment benefits teachers' development. However, there are information gaps on the specific impact of counseling with a socio-formative approach on both professionalization and the improvement of teaching practice. The objective is to analyze the relationship between these three elements. A…

Professional Learning Communities (PLC) have been used increasingly in designing and discussing teachers' professional development, but how PLC are organised and framed differ between contexts. There is a lack of meta-level studies that aim to define and compare different ways of organising PLC. In this literature review of 32 studies,…

The recent call for education to support student creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking has required a change in traditional views of teaching and learning. Teachers are being asked to engage in creative work in order to bring about innovative educational practices. However, when teachers are asked to make pedagogical changes, the…