Title: Teachers' continuing professional development: rooting practice in the classroom

Authors: Jo Rose, David Reynolds

Addresses: School of Education and Lifelong Learning, University of Exeter, Heavitree Road, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK ' Faculty of Education, University of Plymouth, Douglas Avenue, Exmouth, EX8 2AT, UK

Abstract: Ownership and relevance to practice are key to successful teacher professional development. As part of a pilot project to develop evidence-based professional development, teachers were trained in the use of a classroom observation system, and used it as a basis for peer observation and discussion to enable them to decide on an area to focus on within their Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Feedback from teachers, through focus groups and individual interviews, was largely positive and most felt that the process of structured, non-hierarchical peer observation and discussion was successful in determining a personal CPD focus, and as an exercise in its own right.

Keywords: continuing professional development; CPD; teacher development; peer observation; teachers; learning pathways; classroom observation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMIE.2008.016228

International Journal of Management in Education, 2008 Vol.2 No.1, pp.14 - 29

Published online: 10 Dec 2007 *

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