Professional development for inclusive schooling

Abstract

Professional development aims to impact upon teacher knowledge, teacher practice and thus change student outcomes. Some of the most effective examples of professional development have focussed on active involvement of staff and administration in the process and have been extensive and progressive in nature. In this paper, we report on the implementation of a model of professional development in which school reculturing, collaboration between teaching professionals and opportunities for individual teacher learning are core themes. This study, undertaken at a disadvantaged primary school in Queensland, Australia, was a collaborative effort between the school and a university. The case study data were collected within the context of a larger research project. Analysis of the data, collected from focus group interviews with 11 teachers at the school and reflective notes taken from the second author’s research journal, revealed four major themes which focus on reflections of the process of professional development: individual focus areas chosen by the teachers; positives about the process; areas for improvement; and ideas for sustaining the professional collaboration. In conclusion, this study has shown that professional development undertaken in a climate of school reculturing and collaboration enhances a teacher’s sense of ownership and relevance of the in‐service.

Citation

Robinson, R. and Carrington, S. (2002), "Professional development for inclusive schooling", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 16 No. 5, pp. 239-247. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513540210434612