Overcoming barriers to teacher professional development: new publication
Marianne Talbot, School of Education postgraduate researcher, has written an article which has now been published by the Chartered College of Teaching
Throughout the course of her research degree Marianne Talbot has developed multiple pieces of writing including short blog pieces and even a book chapter which she based on research she conducted in Summer 2022 alongside Dr Michael Walker.
Her latest publication, Overcoming barriers to teacher professional development: Linking personal and professional dimensions, delves into the headline findings of a Research England-funded project which Marianne co-led in summer 2022. Presenting excerpts from the resulting case studies the article focuses on how teachers engage with their own personal development and how they can best be supported in overcoming barriers preventing full engagement with personal development.
Through designing a small-scale but rigorous qualitative and collaborative research, the study collected data from teachers and professionals working to support teacher personal development.
The research set out to identify what motivates teachers to access personal development, the challenges they may face when trying to engage with this, the support which may be available, and what they did once they had engaged with the development. The research also investigates effects on the individual, their colleagues, and their way of working as well as any residual challenges and benefits which arose after engaging in this personal development.
Working with a sample of 14 teachers and other education professionals, such as union officials and subject/professional association staff, this study collected data through pre and post-event surveys and an online round table which was then transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis.
Analysing this data, the study identified key features of successful personal development, finding that it should be high-quality and accessible, low-cost or free, available at an appropriate time and delivered appropriately.
The study argues that online courses (including recordings) should be made available so that teachers can access them whenever they prefer to do so and this ought to be relevant to the needs of both the teacher and the teacher’s school. Any personal development which is offered needs to be relevant and personalised to the individual, including their interests, current or imminent responsibilities, career stage and teaching experience. Accordingly, teachers ought to be trusted to use their autonomy and agency to choose appropriate development from the range on offer, including observing or working with teachers who can model excellent skills, behaviours and attitudes, working with other schools or being an examiner for an awarding organisation.
This article was funded by Research England as part of the Research Crucible process held at the University of Leeds during spring 2022 and has been published in Impact, the journal of the Chartered College of Teaching. Thanks go to Emma Spary and Ruth Winden from the University of Leeds who encouraged Marianne to reach out for the funding opportunity.
Please note that the full article is only available to CCT members. If you are not a member but wish to read the full article, please email Marianne at edmjt@leeds.ac.uk.
Find out about becoming a postgraduate researcher with the School of Education here.
