The lived experience of professional learning of teachers in the north of Scotland
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55578/fepr.2610.016Keywords:
professional learning, professional development, education policy, education reform, school improvementAbstract
In Scotland, as elsewhere, it is generally recognised that the quality of teaching is arguably the most important factor in children’s learning, and therefore on the overall performance of the education system. The quality of teaching can be improved through good quality teacher professional learning. However, there is a lack of empirical research on teachers’ lived experiences of professional learning.
This paper describes the experiences of professional learning of twelve physics teachers in secondary schools across the north of Scotland. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and by teachers completing professional learning career roadmaps and year-long reflective diary-logs. These experiences are compared with their contractual requirements and analysed against a theoretical framework based on Kennedy’s models of professional learning, and Timperley’s principles of effective professional learning. This aims to achieve an understanding of professional learning practices for teachers in Scotland.
The study finds that most of the teacher professional learning is transmissive rather than transformative with little evidence of collaborative enquiry-based approaches or enquiry as stance. This neither serves the macro-level desire for transformative change nor the micro-level and nano-level desire for improved instruction and is unlikely to give improvements in pupil outcomes or system performance.
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