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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS

Article · November 2014

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Vaibhav Govindrao Jadhav

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 Impact Factor : 1.883 Peer-Reviewed Journal ISSN : 2278 – 5639
Global Online Electronic International Interdisciplinary Research Journal (GOEIIRJ)
{Bi-Monthly} Volume – V, Issue – II August 2016

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS

Sanjeev Sonawane
Professor and Dean
Faculty of Education
Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune

Vaibhav Jadhav
Assistant Professor
Department of Education and Extension,
Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune

Abstract:

Professional development can help teachers become a more beneficial practitioner,

enhance your career views or simply help to make you feel more positive about our
work and make it more personally fulfilling. Although professional development is an
important component of working lives, it also represents a means for leaders to support
their staff. So, leaders in teaching community can create a path for their followers to
develop innovation in their services.

This research paper is trying to identify the dimensions of professional development

of teachers; those working in higher education. All the dimensions i.e. teaching
practices, beliefs, attitudes, teacher appraisal, feedback etc. are highly qualitative
factors of Professional Development. Professional development can facilitate access to
particularized structured training. It is also help to review working practices; these
practices are contributing more effective and productive job. In the field of higher
education, teachers are highly involving in teaching-learning procedure. Certainly,
engaging teachers in professional development activities can be inspiring for
individuals.

Key words: Professional Development, Teaching Practices, Beliefs, Attitudes.

1. Introduction:
Professional development refers to the development of a person in his or her professional role.
According to Glattenhorn (1987), by gaining increased experience in one’s teaching role they
systematically gain increased experience in their professional growth through examination of their
teaching ability. Professional workshops and other formally related meetings are a part of the
professional development experience (Ganzer, 2000). Much broader in scope than career

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 Impact Factor : 1.883 Peer-Reviewed Journal ISSN : 2278 – 5639
Global Online Electronic International Interdisciplinary Research Journal (GOEIIRJ)
{Bi-Monthly} Volume – V, Issue – II August 2016

development, professional development is defined as a growth that occurs through the professional
cycle of a teacher (Glattenhorn, 1987). Moreover, professional development and other organized in-
service programs are designed to foster the growth of teachers that can be used for their further
development (Crowther et al, 2000). So, all kind of activities regarding professional development are
highly contributed in the profile of teacher in higher education.

According to the review of research, high-quality professional-learning opportunities for teachers

contain the following five characteristics:

• Aligns with higher education institute goals, state and district standards and
assessments, and other professional-learning activities

• Focuses on core content and modeling of teaching strategies for the content

• Includes opportunities for active learning of new teaching strategies

• Provides the chance for teachers to collaborate

• Includes follow-up and continuous feedback

The above characteristics indicate that a professional-learning activity engages with the work of
teaching. But the exact structure of professional learning might differs depending on the needs of the
teacher in the higher education institute. Although there are only a handful of rigorous research
studies on professional development, these have identified activities that can have an impact on
teaching and learning. However there is no guarantee that teachers will improve their instruction with
above features, but instead of that they are different activities, which have influenced teaching if it
will well implement.

This review of researchers is an effort of investigators to know the status of professional

development of teachers of higher education associated with Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune.
This study attempts to find out teaching practices, teacher appraisal, teacher beliefs and attitudes of
teachers regarding professional development aspects.

2. Statement of Problem: - To study the professional development of teachers in higher education

in the light of teaching practices, teacher beliefs and attitudes.

3. Operational Definitions:

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 Impact Factor : 1.883 Peer-Reviewed Journal ISSN : 2278 – 5639
Global Online Electronic International Interdisciplinary Research Journal (GOEIIRJ)
{Bi-Monthly} Volume – V, Issue – II August 2016

1. Professional Development- Professional development is defined as activities

i.e. participation in workshop, various courses, conference, seminars, network
with colleagues that develop an individual’s skills, knowledge, expertise and
other characteristics as a effective teacher.

2. Teaching Practices- Teaching practice is defined as activities i.e. components of

imparting instructions / demonstrations. These practices go through in the actual
teaching and learning environment.

3. Teacher’s Beliefs: - Teachers beliefs implies here that his/her role of good
knowledge communicator and ensure them as calm and concentration in the
classroom.

4. Teacher’s Attitudes: - In this study, teacher’s attitude is the attitude towards teaching
profession and disposition of opinion, interest, purpose, involving expectancy with an
appropriate response in classroom.
4 Objectives of the study:-
1. To identify the dimensions of professional development for teachers in higher
education institutes.
2. To find out the need of professional development of teachers in higher education
institutes.
3. To find out teaching practices, beliefs, attitudes of teacher in higher education
institutes.
4. To find out impact of professional development activities on teachers in higher
education institutes.
5 Methodology:-

Survey method of Descriptive research methodology was used; Surveys provide a high level of
general capability in representing a large population. Due to the usual huge number of people who
answers survey, the data being gathered possess a better description of the relative characteristics of
the general population involved in the study. As compared to other methods of data gathering,
surveys are able to extract data that are near to the exact attributes of the larger population. A sample
is a small proportion of the population that is selected for observation and analysis. By observing the
characteristics of the sample, one can make certain inferences about the characteristics of the
population from which it was drawn. Here 63 teachers participated as sample; those are participating
in UGC orientation program at Academic Staff College during 3 -28 Nov 2014 with purpose of
professional development. For the data collection, professional development scale is used. This scale

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 Impact Factor : 1.883 Peer-Reviewed Journal ISSN : 2278 – 5639
Global Online Electronic International Interdisciplinary Research Journal (GOEIIRJ)
{Bi-Monthly} Volume – V, Issue – II August 2016

has four different dimension i.e. teaching practices, beliefs, attitudes, professional development
activities. The data is analyzed with percentage.

6 Analysis and interpretation:

A. Identify dimensions of professional development.

Content analysis is used for the identification professional development dimension. This
content analysis examines policies and remarkable research and then with the help of experts
the following dimensions such as teachers’ professional development; teachers’ teaching
practices, beliefs and attitudes; teacher appraisal and feedback is finalized for the further
study.

B. Professional Development Need

Professional Development Need
38%
40% 25% 24%
13%
20%

0%
No Need Low Need Moderate High Need
Need

Figure No-1
Interpretation: - The above graph indicates that the need of professional development for
teachers in the higher education institute. The entire participating teachers in this study as informants
that reveal moderate (38%) of professional development is necessary and very few teachers thought
that there is no need (13%) of professional development. So the professional development is essential
need for the teacher. The areas of need for professional development are discussed in the following
graph.
C. Need of professional Development.

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 Impact Factor : 1.883 Peer-Reviewed Journal ISSN : 2278 – 5639
Global Online Electronic International Interdisciplinary Research Journal (GOEIIRJ)
{Bi-Monthly} Volume – V, Issue – II August 2016

Area of Need for Professional Development

25% 22% 21%
20%
14% 13%
15% 11%
9% 10%
10%

5%

0%
Contentstudnets
and performance
assessment practices
classrrom
ICT skills
magtforSpecial
teachinglearning
Students
need
Teaching
behaviour
in multiculture

Figure No- 2
Interpretation: As the need of professional development is come out with responses of
teacher of higher education institutes then areas of need for professional development also
inquired. From this graph, teachers preferences all the areas necessary for professional
development but highly demanded professional development areas is the ICT skills for teaching
(23%) and Special learning need (21%). It reveals that teachers interested in using technology and
special learning need training to improve teaching and learning process, which is a real need of
21st century.

D. Teaching practice, Beliefs and Attitudes:

Teaching Practice, Beliefs & Attitudes

53%
60% 29%
40% 18%
20%
0%
Attitudes Teaching Beliefs
Practice

Figure No- 3
Interpretation:- The above graph have shown that teachers’ beliefs (18%) and attitudes (29%)
are less but all the teachers from higher education strongly agree that teaching practices are more
necessary in teaching learning process. Somehow it examines that associations between teachers’
beliefs and attitudes are closely but teaching practices in the environments of higher education is
highly qualitative for professional development.
E. Professional Development – Activities

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 Impact Factor : 1.883 Peer-Reviewed Journal ISSN : 2278 – 5639
Global Online Electronic International Interdisciplinary Research Journal (GOEIIRJ)
{Bi-Monthly} Volume – V, Issue – II August 2016

22%
25% 19% 18%
20% 13% 11%
15% 8% 9%
10%
5%
0%

Professional Development Activity

Figure No- 4

Interpretation -
In the above graph reveals that teacher of higher education institutes participated in study given
more preference for professional development activities i.e. informal dialogue with colleagues
(19%), Individual or collaborative research (22%) and mentoring or peer observation (18%). And
teachers gave less preference for following activities like Education conference/seminar (8%) and
qualification program (9%). So the objective of higher education is research, which is highly
important.

F. Professional Development Impact

Professional Development

50% 41%
40%
30% 17% 16%
20%
6%
10%
0%
No Impact Small Moderate Large
Impact Impact Impact

Figure No- 5
Interpretation:- The above figure highlight that all the professional activities i.e. Courses and
workshops, Education conferences and seminars, Qualification program, Observation visits to

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 Impact Factor : 1.883 Peer-Reviewed Journal ISSN : 2278 – 5639
Global Online Electronic International Interdisciplinary Research Journal (GOEIIRJ)
{Bi-Monthly} Volume – V, Issue – II August 2016

other higher education institute, Professional development network, Individual and collaborative
research, Mentoring and peer observation, Informal dialogue to improve teaching etc. are making
moderate impact (41%) on professional development.
7 Key Results:
• Teaching practices, teaching beliefs and attitudes are major dimensions of the professional
development.
• Teachers’ perceived needs should also match the wider goals of institutional development
and how well teachers’ professional development is coordinated with teaching practices in
the institutes.
• The activities of professional development undertaken by teachers explain some of these
variations. In which a high percentage of teachers take part in “informal dialogue with
colleagues” (19%) or “Individual and collaborative research” (22%) tend to have a higher
average number of days of development.
• The aspects of teachers’ work with greatest development need are: “ICT teaching skills”
(23%) followed by “Teaching special learning needs students” (21%).
• The impact of all the various activities of professional development is moderately (41%);
this could be also noticed that teachers are earnest regarding their professional
development.
8 Conclusion and Discussion
In seeking to meet teachers’ professional development requirements or needs, policy makers
and higher authority should be called for how to support and encourage participation and how
to ensure that opportunities match teachers’ perceived needs. It has been analyzed that the
extent demand of teachers for professional development need is highlighted and how this varies
according to the various types of activities. Teachers have been perceived as hindrances to
engaging in more activities but they could not do (Ryan1987).
It has analyzed the types of activities that teachers reported as having had the moderately
impact on their professional development as teachers. Some of these issues will be examined
in greater depth in the separate thematic report on teachers’ professional development. In
particular, it will seek to examine more thoroughly the activities that determine participation
in professional development as well as the activities that determine the differing impacts that
teachers report for alternative types of professional development.

Reference:-
Best, J. & Kahn, J. (2007). Research in Education. New Delhi: Prentice-Hall India Pvt. Ltd.

Ganzer, T. (Ed.) (2000). Ambitious visions of professional development for teachers [Special Issue].
National Association for Secondary Higher education institute Principals, (84)618

Garrett, Hennery E.(1973). Statistics in psychology & education. Bombay: Vakils, Feffer and
Simons Pvt. Ltd.

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 Impact Factor : 1.883 Peer-Reviewed Journal ISSN : 2278 – 5639
Global Online Electronic International Interdisciplinary Research Journal (GOEIIRJ)
{Bi-Monthly} Volume – V, Issue – II August 2016

Glattenhorn, A. (1987). Cooperative professional development: Peer centered options for teacher
growth. Educational Leadership, (3)45, 31-35.

Guskey, T. R. (1995). Professional development in action: New paradigms and practices. (T. R.
Guskey & M. Huberman, Eds.) New York: Teachers College Press.

Guskey, T. R. (2000). Evaluating professional development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Ryan, R.L. (1987). The complete inservice staff development program. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:
Prentice-Hall, Inc.

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