Towards an empirically substantiated professional development programme to train lead teachers to support curriculum innovation

Abstract

The aim of this study is to establish an empirically substantiated professional development programme for teachers to become lead teachers who are able to support professional development of peers in times of curriculum innovation. The design of a professional development programme, participants' learning outcomes and their interrelatedness are described. The three main interventions in the professional development programme are: (A) a national learning community of lead teachers-in-training to participate in formal training and peer intervision; (B) regional learning communities of teachers where lead teachers-in-training practice their leadership qualities and receive feedback on their functioning as lead teachers; and (C) selfreflection to stimulate awareness of learning progress among participants. This qualitative case study reports the results of the designed programme embedded in the implementation process of a context-based chemistry curriculum in secondary education in the Netherlands. Results show that participants acquire intended learning outcomes in terms of knowledge, skills and dispositions. These learning outcomes are invoked by the combination of interventions in the professional development programme. From the results it can be concluded that the designed professional development programme has potential to train teachers to become lead teachers to support curriculum innovation.

The practices of professional development facilitators

“…Here, we add to evidence of the importance of modelling in professional development (Cordingley et al 2015, Meijer et al 2017, an area that has so far received relatively little attention in professional development compared to initial teacher education (Berry 2009, MacPhail et al 2019. For PDFs operating as 'hybrid' teacher leaders (Margolis 2012), direct modelling of practice might be possible in the classroom (Groothuijsen et al 2019). For those working outside the classroom, as in this study, modelling enables PDFs to exemplify pedagogies and to demonstrate their expertise as a teacher and professional development facilitator, thereby contributing to building authenticity in the role (Margolis and Doring 2013).…”

“…An evidence review focussed on teacher professional development identified the knowledge of PDFs as including 'specialist content knowledge and in-depth knowledge of effective professional development processes, and evaluation and monitoring' (Cordingley et al 2015, p. 6). A study of teacher leaders of professional development suggested that they need subject expertise, the ability to facilitate a learning community of teachers, and personal dispositions including confidence in their own knowledge and skills and the ability to reflect on their role (Groothuijsen et al 2019). In a previous study, we categorised the knowledge and skills used by PDFs as knowledge and skills for teaching, facilitation skills and knowledge, and knowledge about professional development (Perry and Boylan 2018) and suggested that this categorisation could be used to design approaches to supporting PDFs' ongoing learning and development.…”

The Role of Pedagogical Practices in Novice Teachers' Work

“…Co-teaching may have many advantages for the teachers themselves, such as deepening teacher collaboration, promoting creativity and innovative teaching methods, and improving teachers' satisfaction with their work (Cacciatore & Morey, 2017). In addition, Groothuijsen et al (2019) claim that lead teachers who provide professional development for peer teachers is a promising strategy for large-scale implementation of curriculum innovations.…”

Exploring Key Competencies and Professional Development of Music Teachers in Primary Schools in the Era of Artificial Intelligence

“…professional development (Figure 5(a)), 57 teachers considered it necessary for professional promotion, 99 thought that they could continuously enhance their quality and become better teachers, 65 thought it is the need of students, 81 claimed it is to adapt to the requirements of the times, and 43 thought it is for the schools , development. Although teachers , professional development has an internal and active professional improvement those with external and passive Teacher training is not only a crucial part of a teacher's role but also an essential way for teachers , professional development [24][25][26]. Table 2 shows that in terms of the frequency of training organized by schools, 21.43%, 15.18% and 38.39% of teachers think respectively that the school organizes training frequently, once or twice times a semester, once or twice a school year, and rarely organizes.…”