Elaborating a model of teacher professional growth

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Abstract

This paper details a model of teacher professional growth and relates the model to the research data on which the model is empirically founded. A key feature of the model is its inclusion of four analytic domains in close correspondence to those employed by Guskey (Educational Researcher 15(5), 1986) and others, but the model proposed in this paper identifies the specific mechanisms by which change in one domain is associated with change in another. The interconnected, non-linear structure of the model enabled the identification of particular “change sequences” and “growth networks”, giving recognition to the idiosyncratic and individual nature of teacher professional growth. One major value of a change model grounded in empirical data lies in its capacity to stimulate speculation, research and development regarding possible change mechanisms as yet unexplored and unexploited. In its current form, this model offers a powerful framework to support the analyses of those studying teacher change (or growth) and the planning of those responsible for teacher professional development.

Section snippets

Teacher change

A substantial literature exists on “teacher change” (see, for example, Doyle, 1990; Guskey, 1985; Johnson, 1996a). This literature permits various readings of the term “teacher change” and Clarke and Hollingsworth (1994) identified a number of alternative perspectives. In that paper we suggested that the notion of “teacher change” was open to multiple interpretations, and that each interpretation could be associated with a particular perspective on teacher professional development. We described

Modeling professional growth

Researchers such as Fullan (1982) recognized that many professional development programs fail to consider the process of teacher change. Such programs often attempted to change teachers’ beliefs and attitudes, with the expectation that changes in beliefs and attitudes will lead to changes in classroom practices and behaviors. This perspective took improved outcomes for students as the ultimate goal of teacher professional development. This represents a plausible and legitimate educational

The empirical foundations of the model

In elaborating the empirical foundations of the model, we have chosen to group together the four change domains: external source of information or stimulus (the external domain), teacher knowledge, beliefs and attitudes (the personal domain), professional experimentation (the domain of practice), and salient outcomes (the domain of consequence). For the purpose of explicating the model, we distinguish these four change domains from the change environment, and from the mediating mechanisms of

Identifying specific patterns in teacher professional growth

In a model capable of accommodating (and suggesting) alternative pathways to professional growth, it becomes a matter of interest as to which forms of teacher change can be identified empirically and particularly in which sequences do we observe change occurring. While the study by Clarke et al. provided an empirical grounding for each of the proposed change domains and the connecting mediating processes, the more recent study by Hollingsworth gave more analytical attention to the order in

The role of the change environment

The context in which teachers work (the Change Environment) can have a substantial impact on their professional growth. The school context can impinge on a teacher's professional growth at every stage of the professional development process: access to opportunities for professional development; restriction or support for particular types of participation; encouragement or discouragement to experiment with new teaching techniques; and, administrative restrictions or support in the long-term

Implications and future applications

The structure of the Interconnected Model has significant implications for future teacher professional development programs (and wider implications for professional development in general). The increasing complexity of teaching (Darling-Hammond, 1997) requires a corresponding sophistication in models of both teaching and of teacher professional growth. Recognition of the complexity of professional growth in a form which models possible growth networks allows the designers of in-service programs

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