Continuous Professional Learners: What Do Teachers Understand as Professional Learning and Which Goals Drive Them?

• In Event: Diverse Methodological Approaches to Exploring Student and Teacher Motivation

Abstract

Teachers are often aware and reminded of the importance of professional learning, but their understanding, valuation, and use of such learning opportunities vary greatly. We sought to (1) better comprehend what teachers understand as professional learning and which learning opportunities they consider relevant therein, and (2) identify their goals to engage in them. Half-structured interviews with 24 German school teachers showed that most defined professional learning similarly, in terms of improving their own professional competencies. While they frequently associated professional learning with formal learning, they also knew about and often used informal learning. Mastery-based goals represented an important motivational foundation for professional learning, and different types of goals could be distinguished based on goal content, valence, and underlying reasons.

Authors

• Martin Daumiller, University of Augsburg
  Presenting Author

• Ruth Butler, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  Non-Presenting Author

• Markus Dresel, University of Augsburg
  Non-Presenting Author