Teachers' perceived professional development in a multi-regional community of practice: Effects of beliefs and engagement

This study investigated how teachers' beliefs (i.e., beliefs about teaching thinking, acceptance of the community of practice, and acceptance of the school culture) and engagement (i.e., engagement in learning and engagement in practice on teaching thinking) affected their perceived professional development in the Alliance of Thinking Schools (ATS), which is a multi-regional community of practice (CoP) on teaching thinking for K-12 teachers in China. A total of 478 teachers from 39 schools in 10 cities participated in this study. The regression analysis results indicated that teachers' beliefs about teaching thinking, followed by engagement in practice, engagement in learning, and acceptance of the CoP, were significant predictors to their perceived professional development. However, teachers' acceptance of the school culture was not a significant predictor. This study suggests that multi-regional CoPs could eliminate the barriers to teachers' professional development regarding the school culture. Schools should provide opportunities for teachers to engage in the practice, rather than one-shot training.
Source: Learning, Culture and Social Interaction - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research