Exploring Meanings of Professional Development: Teacher Perspectives

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the perceptions of elementary teachers about professional development experiences in a Catholic diocese in the Midwest. Professional development in this study was defined as local or contextual experiences, regional experiences, diocesan experiences, and other events of learning such as graduate level coursework, workshops, or conferences. The study noted teacher perceptions of how and why professional development decisions are determined so that teacher growth and actions can be enhanced by their professional development experiences. A within-case and cross-case analysis of eight individual case studies of elementary classroom teachers, each with over ten years of experience teaching in a Catholic diocese in the Midwest, was used to investigate the subsequent research questions. The overarching research question was: How do teachers perceive their professional development experiences? The sub-questions used for the systematic research process included: (a) What professional development experiences do teachers perceive as meaningful and useful?, (b) What professional development decisions by leaders do teachers perceive as useful and meaningful in promoting high levels of academic achievement for all learners?, (c) How can leaders reframe professional development decision making to sustain teacher growth as perceived by teachers?, and (d) How can leaders reframe professional development decision making to sustain social justice towards teachers? Through analysis of narratives, focus group sessions, and interviews, two dominant themes of relevancy and practicality were determined. The subthemes of professionalism, disconnect, technology, and attributes of teachers were also determined. The data from this study found that teachers perceive that professional development experiences on the local level are positive when relationships between the administrator and the teachers are positive. Beyond the local, professional development experiences may or may not be relevant or practical because teachers are not asked about their contextual needs. Teachers perceived that asking, listening, and trusting their opinion concerning professional development experiences was important in reframing relevant and practical experiences