The Learning Effects of a Multidisciplinary Professional Development Programme

• Published in: Journal of science education and technology Vol. 22; no. 6; pp. 807 - 824
• Main Authors: Visser, Talitha Christine, Coenders, Fer G. M., Pieters, Jules M., Terlouw, Cees
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Science+Business Media 01.12.2013; Springer Netherlands; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Collaborative learning; Curricula; Curriculum Implementation; Education; Educational Assessment; Educational Strategies; Educational Technology; Faculty Development; Field Trips; Interdisciplinary Approach; Interviews; Learning; Learning modules; Lecture Method; Lectures; Measures (Individuals); Modules; Name changes; Outcomes of education; Prior Learning; Professional development; Program Effectiveness; Questionnaires; Schools; Science Education; Science Instruction; Science teachers; Teachers; Teaching Methods; Professional growth; Evaluation; Teacher learning; Professional development; Curriculum implementation; Multidisciplinary education
• ISSN: 1059-0145; 1573-1839
• DOI: 10.1007/s10956-012-9432-6

Professional development becomes relevant and effective when teachers are actively involved, collaborate, and when it is linked to teachers' daily school practice (Hunzicker in Prof Dev Educ 37:177–179, 2011). Preparation of teachers for a curriculum implementation such as the new subject Nature, Life, and Technology can be done by a professional development programme where teachers are actively involved (Visser et al. 2010). This study evaluates the designed and implemented professional development programme with respect to its effectiveness in terms of degree of teacher learning and development. Effects are evaluated for five learning areas: Instructional strategies, differences in students' prior knowledge, adjustments to the module, assessment methods and instruments, and field trips and guest lectures. Eleven teachers from four different schools participated in two professional development programmes, six teachers in the first professional development programme and five teachers in the programme for the subsequent module. Questionnaires and interviews were used to assess the effects in the different learning areas. The findings show that the professional development programme is a useful venture for teachers' professional growth in different learning areas.