A Multi Dimensional Interactive Approach to Continuous Professional Development: An Exploratory Case Study of English Language Teacher Educators
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Date
2011-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the CPD undertakings in the Department of Foreign
Languages and English Education (FLEE) of College of Teacher Education, AAU, and test the
Collaborative-Observation-Reflection-Appraisal (CORA) approach to CPD that was named as
Multi-Dimensional Interactive Approach to CPD for the sake of clarity. To this end, nonexperimental
design of classroom based exploratory qualitative case study in which four cases
were selected using purposive sampling technique facilitated through snowball and theoretical
sampling was conducted. In this process, semi structured in-depth interview, video assisted selfappraisal
of recorded lessons, as well as video supported peer observation and reflection were
carried out. The semi-structured interview had also addressed other relevant informants from
the College. To widen understanding, a questionnaire was distributed to other teacher educators
who were teaching in the undergraduate program and were not the cases of the study. All the
instruments were piloted at Kotobe College of Teacher Education. The feedback obtained from
all the instruments including self as well as peer reflections on the lessons were transcribed,
coded, organized under major themes, analyzed, interpreted and presented under two broad
categories: holistic or within case and across cases. The finding identified diverse themes that
were factors to enhance or retard professional development of the teacher educators.
Accordingly, the belief of most of the teacher educators was not in consistent with the current
learning theory. On top of this, the prevailing professionalism was the old rather than the
transformative. A lot of potentials that would have contributed to the professional development
of the teacher educators, too, were not exploited. Nonetheless, there were exceptional cases and
tenets that were aligned with modern learning theory that would have been exploited given
conducive atmosphere was created and awareness was raised. To address the problems
identified in the course of the study, different recommendations were offered. Concerning the
tested approach, promising developmental incidents and evidences were obtained. The selfappraisal
of the recorded lessons resulted in critical scrutiny into one’s teaching in which the
partners gained knowledge as observed from their reflections and the recorded learning logs.
The peer observations and professional discussions that accompanied the self-appraisal were
also developmental. As a result, the proposed approach indicated that it had the potential to
break the ‘individualism’ that reigned in the Department and generate learning in a
collaborative environment.
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An Exploratory case study of English Language Teacher Educators