Empowering Teachers Through the Transformation of their Professional Development Programs : Understanding Argentinean Teachers’ Needs & Challenges to Effectively Support them to Meet Students’ Needs
Oberst, Maria Camila (2019)
Oberst, Maria Camila
2019
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2019060314459
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2019060314459
Tiivistelmä
The presented thesis is the culmination of a research project conducted as part of the Master’s in Education Entrepreneurship at the Oulu University of Applied Sciences. Its central purpose is to understand the needs and challenges teachers in high socio-economic, private urban secondary-level educational settings in Buenos Aires (Argentina) are facing today, to identify factors that will support the development of solutions, empowering teachers towards the overall benefit of their students’ learning path.
Both questionnaires and interviews were conducted to gather the viewpoints of school directors and teachers in the targeted schools. Relevant background research on learning theories, 21st century education standards, the current Argentinean educational landscape as well as studies on professional development around the world, has been conducted to support the discussion and conclusions of this thesis.
By drawing on the surveys’ findings and on other background material collected, it is now clearer what teachers’ challenges and needs are, highlighting the gap between the expectation of them teaching for the 21st century and the training they receive to do so. Teachers are being challenged by the fast-pacing changes that the teaching practice is experiencing in their communities and how their schools (as employers) are attending to these changes, while also confronting the variations in the needs their students have towards their uncertain workforce future. Teachers conclude they need MORE and HIGHER QUALITY professional development opportunities: more high-quality training, more planning, training and reflection time, more effective workshops, more personalized feedback, more coaching opportunities, and more collaboration between themselves.
Both questionnaires and interviews were conducted to gather the viewpoints of school directors and teachers in the targeted schools. Relevant background research on learning theories, 21st century education standards, the current Argentinean educational landscape as well as studies on professional development around the world, has been conducted to support the discussion and conclusions of this thesis.
By drawing on the surveys’ findings and on other background material collected, it is now clearer what teachers’ challenges and needs are, highlighting the gap between the expectation of them teaching for the 21st century and the training they receive to do so. Teachers are being challenged by the fast-pacing changes that the teaching practice is experiencing in their communities and how their schools (as employers) are attending to these changes, while also confronting the variations in the needs their students have towards their uncertain workforce future. Teachers conclude they need MORE and HIGHER QUALITY professional development opportunities: more high-quality training, more planning, training and reflection time, more effective workshops, more personalized feedback, more coaching opportunities, and more collaboration between themselves.