International Journal of Research in Teacher Education
ISSN (Print): 1308-951X -

Research article    |    Open Access
International Journal of Research in Teacher Education 2017, Vol. 8(1) 1-31

EFL Teachers’ Professional Development Efforts: A view from Turkey

Mert Topkaraoğlu

pp. 1 - 31

Publish Date: October 28, 2017  |   Single/Total View: 407/940   |   Single/Total Download: 518/1.952

PDF Download

Abstract

Although professional development is assumed to be of value and considered as an essential component of quality teaching, there has been little research on how and why teachers engage themselves in continuous learning and whether professional development affects teaching or student learning. In tandem with this, despite the ongoing pursuit to expand the knowledge and skills of EFL teachers in Turkey and regardless of the innovative language policy reforms that have been put into practice in the country, the learners are yet to achieve the desirable language proficiency levels. Though increasingly more research has been in progress for examining the effectiveness of the professional development activities, they usually tend to disregard the primary needs of teachers. With respect to this issue, the present study aimed to investigate how EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers in Turkey perceive professional development and which factors facilitate/hinder their professional development efforts. For this purpose, the researcher explored the professional development efforts of three in-service Turkish EFL teachers throughout their career by means of semi-structured interviews. Follow-up observation notes, analytic memos and graphic elicitations were also utilized to supplement the results and to detect the perspectives of in-service teachers about professional development in terms of conditions in their lives and institutions. Qualitative data indicated that EFL teachers in Turkey appreciate the importance of professional development and they are willing to improve themselves. However, only to the extent that they are encouraged and fostered by institutional support, could they most likely be genuinely motivated to reflect upon their own practices, share their experiences and problems with colleagues and move forward in their professional lives.

Keywords: Professional development, English as a foreign language, quality teaching, teacher growth.

How to Cite this Article?

APA 7th edition
Topkaraoglu, M. (2017). EFL Teachers’ Professional Development Efforts: A view from Turkey. International Journal of Research in Teacher Education, 8(1), 1-31.

Harvard
Topkaraoglu, M. (2017). EFL Teachers’ Professional Development Efforts: A view from Turkey. International Journal of Research in Teacher Education, 8(1), pp. 1-31.

Chicago 16th edition
Topkaraoglu, Mert (2017). "EFL Teachers’ Professional Development Efforts: A view from Turkey". International Journal of Research in Teacher Education 8 (1):1-31.

References
  1. Atay, D. (2004). Collaborative dialogue with student teachers as a follow-up to teacher in-service education and training. Language Teaching Research,8(2), 143-162. [Google Scholar]
  2. Atay, D. (2008). Teacher research for professional development. ELT journal,62(2), 139-147. [Google Scholar]
  3. Auhl, G., & Daniel, G. R. (2014). Preparing pre-service teachers for the profession: creating spaces for transformative practice. Journal of Education for Teaching, 40(4), 377-390. [Google Scholar]
  4. Bagnoli, A. (2009). Beyond the standard interview: The use of graphic elicitation and arts-based methods. Qualitative research, 9(5), 547-570. [Google Scholar]
  5. Ball, D., & Cohen, D. (1999). Toward a practice-based theory of professional education. Teaching as the Learning Profession San Francisco: Jossey Bass. [Google Scholar]
  6. Basit, T. (2003). Manual or electronic? The role of coding in qualitative data analysis. Educational research, 45(2), 143-154. [Google Scholar]
  7. Borko, H. (2004). Professional development and teacher learning: Mapping the terrain. Educational Researcher, 33, 3-15. [Google Scholar]
  8. Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (2008). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. [Google Scholar]
  9. Creswell, J. W. (2012). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage. [Google Scholar]
  10. Crotty, M., Willis, P., & Neville, B. (1996). Doing phenomenology. NOTE 363p.; Produced by the University of South Australia, Centre for Research in Education, Equity and Work. Grant towards production provided by Texts in Humanities, School of Education, University of South Australia. Papers from, 274. [Google Scholar]
  11. Çelik, S. (2011). Characteristics and competencies for teacher educators: Addressing the need for improved professional standards in Turkey. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 36(4), 73-87. [Google Scholar]
  12. Daloğlu, A. (2004). A professional development program for primary school English language teachers in Turkey: Designing a materials bank. International Journal of Educational Development, 24, 677- 690. [Google Scholar]
  13. Dana, N. & Yendol-Hoppey, D. (2008). The reflective teacher’s guide to professional development. California: Corwin Press [Google Scholar]
  14. Darling-Hammond, L., & McLaughlin, M. W. (1995). Policies that support professional development in an era of reform. Phi delta kappan, 76(8), 597. [Google Scholar]
  15. Davies, R., & Preston, M. (2002). An evaluation of the impact of continuing professional development on personal and professional lives. Journal of in-service education, 28(2), 231-254. [Google Scholar]
  16. Day, C. & Gu, Q. (2010). The new lives of teachers. Oxon: Routledge. [Google Scholar]
  17. Feiman-Nemser, S. (2001). From preparation to practice: Designing a continuum to strengthen and sustain teaching. [Google Scholar]
  18. Fereday, J., & Muir-Cochrane, E. (2006). Demonstrating rigor using thematic analysis: A hybrid approach of inductive and deductive coding and theme development. International journal of qualitative methods, 5(1), 80-92. [Google Scholar]
  19. Ferguson, D. L. (2006). Reconceptualizing continuing professional development: A framework for planning. National Institute for Urban School Improvement: Tempe, Arizona: University of Oregon. [Google Scholar]
  20. Glesne, C., & Peshkin, A. (1999). Finding your story: Data analysis. Becoming qualitative researchers, 127-149. [Google Scholar]
  21. Goddard, R. D., Hoy, W. K. & Woolfolk Hoy, A. (2004). Collective efficacy: Theoretical developments, empirical evidence, and future directions. Educational Researcher, 33 (3), 3-13. [Google Scholar]
  22. Grbich, C. (2012). Qualitative data analysis: An introduction. Sage. [Google Scholar]
  23. Gu, Q. (2005). Intercultural experience and teacher professional development. RELC Journal, 36 (5), 1-19. [Google Scholar]
  24. İyidoğan, F. (2011). Personal factors affecting experienced English teachers’ decisions whether or not to engage in professional development activities (doctoral dissertation, Bilkent University Ankara). [Google Scholar]
  25. Joyce, B., & Calhoun, E. (2010). Models of professional development. California: Corwin. [Google Scholar]
  26. Karaaslan, A. D. (2003). Teachers’ perceptions of self-initiated professional development: A case study on Baskent university English language teachers (Doctoral dissertation). Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey. [Google Scholar]
  27. Kezar, A. (2000). The importance of pilot studies: Beginning the hermeneutic circle. Research in Higher Education, 41(3), 385-400. [Google Scholar]
  28. Küçüksüleymanoğlu, R. (2006). In service training of ELT teachers in Turkey between 1998-2005. Uludağ Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 19(2). [Google Scholar]
  29. Kumaravadivelu, B. (2001). Toward a postmethod pedagogy. TESOL Quarterly, 35(4), 537. [Google Scholar]
  30. Kvale, S., & Brinkmann, S. (2009). Interviews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing. Sage. [Google Scholar]
  31. Kwakman, K. (2003). Factors affecting teachers’ participation in professional learning activities. Teaching and Teacher Education, 19, 149-170. [Google Scholar]
  32. Lapadat, J. C., & Lindsay, A. C. (1999). Transcription in research and practice: From standardization of technique to interpretive positionings. Qualitative inquiry, 5(1), 64-86. [Google Scholar]
  33. Leitwood, K., Day, C., Sammons, P., Haris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2006). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership. Nottingham: National College for School Leadership [Google Scholar]
  34. MacQueen, K. M., McLellan-Lemal, E., Bartholow, K., & Milstein, B. (2008). Team-based codebook development: Structure, process, and agreement. Handbook for team-based qualitative research, 119-135. [Google Scholar]
  35. Mann, S. (2005). The language teacher's development. Language teaching,38(03), 103-118. [Google Scholar]
  36. Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (2009). Designing qualitative research. [Google Scholar]
  37. Murray, A. (2010). Empowering teachers through professional development. English Teaching Forum, 1, 2-11. [Google Scholar]
  38. Nasser, F. & Shabti, A. (2010). Satisfaction with professional development: [Google Scholar]
  39. Relationship to teacher and professional development program characteristics. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2, 2739-2743. [Google Scholar]
  40. Nunan, D. (2001). English as a global language. TESOL Quarterly, 35: 605-606. OECD (2013). Education at a Glance; OECD Indicators. OECD Publishing. [Google Scholar]
  41. Özmusul, M. (2011). Öğretmenlerin mesleki gelişimi: İrlanda, Litvanya ve Türkiye incelemesi [Teachers’ professional development: Analysis of Ireland, Lithuania and Turkey]. E-Journal of New World Sciences Academy, 6(1), 394-405. [Google Scholar]
  42. Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods. SAGE Publications, inc. [Google Scholar]
  43. Putnam, R. T., & Borko, H. (2000). What do new views of knowledge and thinking have to say about research on teacher learning?. Educational researcher, 29(1), 4-15. [Google Scholar]
  44. Rallis, S. F., & Rossman, G. B. (2012). The research journey: Introduction to inquiry. Guilford Press. [Google Scholar]
  45. Richardson, P. W. & Watt, H. M. G. (2005). ‘I’ve decided to become a teacher’: Influences on career change. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21, 475- 489. [Google Scholar]
  46. Rosenholtz, S. J. (1989). Teachers’ workplace. New York: Longman [Google Scholar]
  47. Saldaña, J. (2003). Dramatizing data: A primer. Qualitative inquiry, 9(2), 218-236. [Google Scholar]
  48. Saldaña, J. (2013). The coding manual for qualitative researchers. Sage Publications. [Google Scholar]
  49. Schreier, M. (2012). Qualitative content analysis in practice. Sage Publications. [Google Scholar]
  50. Seferoğlu, G. (2004). A study of alternative English teacher certification practices in Turkey. Journal of Education for Teaching, 30(2), 151-159. [Google Scholar]
  51. Sipe, L. R., & Ghiso, M. P. (2004). Developing conceptual categories in classroom descriptive research: Some problems and possibilities. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 472-485. [Google Scholar]
  52. Smith, C., Hofer, J., Gillespie, M., Solomon, M. & Rowe, K. (2006). How teachers change. In P. R. Villia (Ed.), Teacher change and development (pp. 25-31). New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc. [Google Scholar]
  53. Tedick, D. J. (2005). Second language teacher education. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers. [Google Scholar]
  54. Turhan, İ. E., & Arikan, A. (2009). English Language Teacher Development with and without a Teacher Trainer: ELT Instructors' Perceptions. Online Submission, 4(2), 410-421. [Google Scholar]
  55. Tufford, L. and Newman, P. (2010). Braceting in qualitative research. Qualitative Social Work, 11, 1. pp. 80-96). [Google Scholar]
  56. Turner, B. A. (1994). Patterns of crisis behaviour: a qualitative inquiry. Analyzing qualitative data, 195-215. [Google Scholar]
  57. Ünal, E. (2010). An Evaluation of In-Service Teacher Training Programs In English Language Teaching (Master’s thesis, unpublished. Adana: Çukurova University). [Google Scholar]
  58. Weston, C., Gandell, T., Beauchamp, J., McAlpine, L., Wiseman, C., & Beauchamp, C. (2001). Analyzing interview data: The development and evolution of a coding system. Qualitative sociology, 24(3), 381-400. [Google Scholar]
  59. Whitcomb, J., Borko, H., & Liston, D. (2009). Growing talent. Journal of Teacher Education, 60(3), 207-212. [Google Scholar]
  60. Wilkinson, D., & Birmingham, P. (2003). Using research instruments: A guide for researchers. Psychology Press. [Google Scholar]
  61. Wolcott, H. F. (1994). Transforming qualitative data: Description, analysis, and interpretation. Sage. [Google Scholar]
Meta
Vol. 8 (1)
Download
Metric
History
Related

Volume 8 Issue 1

March 2017

All Manuscript

International Journal of Research in Teacher Education

Copyright © 2025 International Journal of Research in Teacher Education.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. CC BY
All elements of this website were created using the BOQ™ - Intelligent Webverse System.