Developing Teacher Professional Capital: A Case Study of Master Teacher Studios in China

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 5:25 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: International Perspectives on Enhancing Teacher Beliefs, Collaboration, and Development (Table 8)

Abstract

Taking the concept of 'professional capital', produced by Hargreaves and Fullan (2012) as a theoretical framework, this qualitative case study investigated how teachers developed their professional capital (including human capital, social capital, and decisional capital) through involvement in Master Teacher Studios, a cross-school teacher professional learning community in China.
The study developed sub-dimensions for three forms of professional capital in the Chinese context where interpersonal relationships (guanxi) and cooperation are particularly emphasized, contributing to theory development. The study also described how master teachers, as team leaders, contributed to developing teacher professional capital, which may contribute to understanding teacher-led professional learning.

Authors

• Meng Zhang, South China Normal University

• Haiyan Qian, Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Allan David Walker, The Education University of Hong Kong