Understanding and creating CPD for and with teachers :the development and implementation of a model for CPD

Abstract

This document consists of a Systematic Review, a Bridging Document and an Empirical Research report. The Systematic Review explores continuing professional development available to teachers, in particular considering what supports teachers to continually develop their practice. Taking a meta-ethnography approach the review examined seven studies. Synthesis and consequent mapping indicated three third order constructs necessary for teachers’ professional learning to occur; intersubjectivity, reflection and common goal. The review led to the development of a model with three overlapping constructs, needed for such professional learning to occur. The Bridging Document links the Systematic Review findings to the Empirical Research, giving critical justification for how and why decisions were made. It includes exploration of research foci, theoretical paradigm, methodology and analysis. A discussion of how ethics, reflexivity, ontology and epistemology are embedded throughout helps the reader further understand the research. In chapter three the Systematic Review model was used to plan an intervention for teachers. Action Research was carried out with four Heads of House. Semi-structured interviews were used before and after the Action Research cycles to explore the Heads of House experience. This intervention led to transformative learning for the group and analysis suggests that although the Systematic Review model is valid it is a dynamic interaction rather than a static model. Also it includes two additional themes – trust and otherness. The main findings were the change in talk from pre to post interview which highlighted a difference in agentic resources individually and collectively. Implications include highlighting the unique contribution educational psychologists can make and how teachers’ sense of agency can increase through collaborative problem solving. Possible future research is also explored. Word count: Overall: 13,868; Systematic Review: 5,457 Bridging Document: 3,270 Empirical Research: 5,370