Responding to the claim that teacher engagement in professional development is a waste of time, this study employed phenomenology as the approach to explore teachers' perceptions of the role of continuous professional development (CPD) in improving their instructional practices and student learning. A purposive sample of elementary teachers…

This qualitative historical single-case study examines how a practitioner-directed approach to professional development for teachers resulted in successful technology integration in a newly unified school district in California's Central Valley. The study details the process of creating and implementing a professional development plan for newly…

The influence of non-formal professional learning in higher education remains a relatively under-researched area. This paper aims to contribute to the literature by exploring the impact of an implementation of non-formal professional learning operating at an Irish university since April 2017. The initiative--called "The Sipping…

Although there is no globally accepted definition to guide micro-credential activity in higher education, many seek to boost the employability prospects of earners. To do this well, micro-credentials need to indicate skills and competencies. Assessment ensures those skills and competencies are verified, enabling trust and communication in the…

Aims: Over the last decade, there has been growing interest in the application of play as a pedagogical approach to support the learning of children within formal education settings. However, existing literature has shown there is significant variation in teachers' understanding of play-based pedagogy (PBP) and how it is applied in the classroom…

This study examines the influences of a one-year life skills-oriented continuing professional development (CPD) programme on PE teachers' teaching practice. Based on Ball's (2009) generative change model, the programme was designed to facilitate pedagogical connections between programme knowledge and teachers' practices. Eight participants (4…

How teachers can experience adaptive professional development (PD) experiences is still understudied in the literature on teacher learning, which for the most part reflects an emphasis on learning outcomes rather than the process of learning. In this study, we use a situated perspective on teacher learning to investigate the coevolution of a…

Despite the extensive international overview of in-service professional development in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), the majority of studies concentrate on short-term training programmes or workshops. The existing scientific literature suggests that these approaches have either minimal or no impact on effective ECEC transformation.…

Background: Continued professional development (CPD) is required for updated skills and knowledge. This study evaluates the efficacy of a CPD programme for mainstream school teachers. Aims: In an 11-week intervention programme, speech-language therapists (SLTs) presented the participating teachers with whole-class teaching techniques aimed at…

Improving computer science (CS) education in PK-12 continues to be a priority for educators, researchers, and policymakers worldwide. One of the leading problems and mitigating factors of student CS success, however, is the lack of teachers prepared and qualified to teach computer science. Efforts have been made to address this issue through…

There are practical questions about how inclusive schools can enable quality teaching and teachers' professional development that are relevant to students with special educational needs (SEN). In moves towards inclusive education, teachers are confronted with issues about their knowledge, skills and perceived efficacy to adopt inclusive teaching…

With school budgets at their tightest and a wealth of choices for teacher Continuing Professional Development (CPD), how do senior leaders make the right decisions on training which will deliver real change to classroom practice? CPD must go beyond adding content and resources to an already overwhelmed curriculum but also consider how teachers…

Consensus is growing that high-quality early education is a critical support to all subsequent learning. In early childhood education quality is generally considered holistically in terms of the physical environment, programmatic structure (e.g., length of the school day), curriculum and instruction, and the nature of interactions between teachers…

This concluding essay offers a reflection on the set of the papers contained in this special issue of the Educational Assessment journal. In it the author situates formative assessment squarely in the realm of teachers' continuous professional learning and considers the essential nature of formative assessment as centering on three questions that…

The article analyzes the process of training social educators how to organize cultural and leisure activities. It was specified that analysis and thorough study of British experience was a fundamental source required to define relevant strategies and areas to solve the problem of training social educators to organize cultural and leisure…