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Abstract:Teachers in the 21st century are facing new challenges as a result of the expanding possibilities of ICT integration in every aspect of the school milieu. Studies have shown the potential of teacher professional development (TPD) that is tailored to local conditions as well as global components and takes advantage of mutual support among teachers, as well as modeling of effective practices. The goal of the paper is to consider the issue of TPD with reference to the usage of ICT as a lever for educational change in a systemic manner, based on the application of local as well as international research. This paper will synthesize some key issues and challenges for TPD in the ICT-saturated 21st century, illustrated in four cases presented herein, which synthesize elements of practice and theory. Based on the literature and the four case studies, we suggest a conceptual model for identifying and evaluating TPD practices using ICT as a lever for educational change and innovation, accompanied by research aimed to develop TPD models. We include suggestions for more effectively linking research to practice and will lay out possible research directions, as a means of facilitating evidence-based decisions and policies.

This article introduces the main outcomes of discussions at EDUsummIT 2011 by the specific Technical Working Group on Teacher Professional Development (TWG3). The focus was to explore how professional development of teachers may ensure that teachers are better prepared to use information and communication technology (ICT) to promote 21st century learning. The article is organized into three main sections: a review of key literature on professional development of teachers (TPD), in general and with specific reference to ICT; a summary of the key points emerging from TWG3's discussions; and recommendations for action.On the basis of discussions held within the TWG3, the authors concluded that effective TPD requires changes at several levels of educational systems (political, institutional and individual), and that ICTs should be seen as an opportunity for introducing new goals, structures and roles that support these changes. It is significant that while many of the issues highlighted by the group are well established, addressing them continues to be problematic globally.

Since the emergence of computers in schools during the 1980's, there have been considerable developments by education systems and schools to develop policies and expectations for the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to enhance learning and teaching. These have not always translated into practice, which has resulted in a focus on the need for improvements in preservice teacher education programs and professional development of practising teachers. This paper starts from the premise that most teacher education have been constrained by using Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) developed by Shulman [1] [2] prior to the dynamic technological changes enabled by the Internet. The authors present the case for the importance of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) [3] [4]. Subsequently, the paper provides guidance for auditing the TPACK capabilities of teacher education students through the presentation of an instrument developed, and provides a summary of some of the findings of a study undertaken using that instrument.