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Week 3: Creating a learning organisation

2. Building a learning organisation

2.4. Focus on professional development

Professional development often takes place in the school holidays, so as not to disrupt teaching, in a central venue, so people from various schools can attend. Alternatively, it can take place after school, or in the school day, with teachers being released from teaching to attend. Professional development is often linked to new initiatives, a new curriculum, or new examination syllabuses. In some countries, teachers get paid for attending; in others the cost of food and transport may be covered. Evidence suggests however, that traditional forms of professional development, based on a casade model, when a ‘master trainer’ passes on information by giving a formal presentation or lecture, are not very effective (power et al)

Evidence from Education sub-Saharan Africa (ESSA – a database of research from Africa – www.essa-africa.org) suggests that:

In-service training programmes are more beneficial if teachers are involved in their development and resources are provided for teachers to use the knowledge and skills gained through training. (https://essa-africa.org/node/1241)

Activity 3.4: What kind of professional development?

You are advised to spend 20mins on this activity

  1. In week 1 you heard Daniel suggesting that professional development should be organised into short sessions focus on particular skills; and be followed up. He suggested that teachers need continuous support, rather than ‘one’ off training sessions. Think back to the training that you have experienced and look at your notes from Activity 3.2. Did it include the elements that Daniel describes? How could it have been done differently? Did it cover the things that teachers need to know and be able to do? (Activity 3.2)
  2. Research suggests that traditional models of professional development are not very effective. Drawing on your experience, and what you learnt in the first course in this series about inclusive teaching, why do you think this might be? Record your thoughts in your study notebook