Evaluating an Online Professional Development Program for Jordanian English Educators: A Longitudinal Study

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable Session 9:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Online and Global Educational Interactions (Table 23)

Abstract

Research on teacher quality shows that weaknesses in teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and classroom practice undermine effective student learning and achievement (Phetla & Newman, 2020; Pontefract and Hardman 2005). This research evaluates the effectiveness of an online professional development program conducted for three years with Jordanian English teachers. Delivered by faculty from two American universities, the international PD program involved online courses, weekly conversation class, an exchange program for selected program participants, and a conference and seminars delivered in Jordan. From gathered qualitative and quantitative data, participating teachers claimed that synchronous and asynchronous courses increased their English communication skills and informed their instructional strategies to actively engage students learning English through service-learning projects and communicative-based, student-centered activities.

Authors

• James Badger, University of North Georgia

• Juman Al Bukhari, University of North Georgia

• Susan L. Ogletree, Georgia State University

• Gwendolyn T. Benson, Georgia State University