Teacher Engagement in Online Professional Development Follow-Up: The Role of the Workplace and Information and Communications Technology Familiarity

• In Event: 61.069 - MTCC Roundtable Session 24
  In Roundtable Session: 61.069-2 - Measuring the Effectiveness of Professional Development Programs on Teachers' Self-Efficacy and Satisfaction

Abstract

The aim is to examine factors for teachers’ participation in an online forum as a follow-up of a workshop. Eighty-nine primary school teachers participated the study, which followed a sequential explanatory mixed design with a quantitative initial phase and a qualitative follow-up. The final logistic regression model was significant, 2 (9, N=89)=18.38, p=.031. The model explained 26% (Nagelkerke’s R2) of the variance. Workplace conditions (Wald’s 2=7.18, p=.007) and forum experience (Wald’s 2=6.48, p=.011) made a significant contribution to prediction. Five themes emerged from the qualitative analysis were (a) teachers’ need, (b) teachers’ problem-solving strategies, (c) training, (d) others’ posts, and (e) lack of time. For a successful follow-up activity, PD teams should facilitate a sense of community among workshop participants.

Authors

• Canan Gunes, Simon Fraser University

• Serkan Ozel, Bogazici University