Author First name, Last name, Institution

Sandra Baroudi, Zayed University

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Sustainability (Switzerland)

Publication Date

2-1-2023

Abstract

New ways of modernizing professional development programs (hereafter PDs) focus on the acquisition of new teaching methods and techniques through hands-on opportunities provided to teachers, thereby enabling them to practice and reflect on the knowledge gained. Moreover, the new vision of reform and sustainability in education emphasizes the development of sustainable PDs that resist disruptive factors, increase teachers’ commitment, and ensure more sustainable development across children’s lifespans. This study explores the impact of a piloted sustainable PD on the development of 16 teachers and head teachers’ attitudes about assessment practices, professional growth, and leadership skills. Qualitative data collected in the form of interviews, post-PD surveys, and reflections were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Findings indicate that the confidence in creating assessments and rubrics of participants in their different positions increased, and their ability to provide their students with engaging, sustainably developed assessments that improved higher-order thinking skills was also enhanced. The findings in this study demonstrated the need to develop within teachers the awareness that they can individually contribute towards a more sustainably developed classroom and learning environment. Although participants did make some changes to their classroom-based practices, these changes could not be well-maintained as they were limited by the high stakes involved in varying the structure of mandatory assessments required in the public education sector. It is hoped that the findings of this study can be used as a model for the development of sustainable PDs in education.

ISSN

2071-1050

Publisher

MDPI AG

Volume

15

Issue

3

Disciplines

Education

Keywords

classroom-based assessment practices, sustainable professional development, teachers’ attitudes and beliefs, teachers’ professional growth

Scopus ID

85148046603

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

yes

Open Access Type

Gold: This publication is openly available in an open access journal/series

Included in

Education Commons

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