Teacher Professional Development–Current Practices in a Secondary School in Brunei Darussalam
This research paper presents the current practices of
teacher professional development, perceived as beneficial by teachers
themselves, in a private secondary school in Brunei Darussalam. This
is part of the findings of a larger qualitative study on teacher
empowerment, using ethnographic methods for data collection, i.e.
participant observation, interviews and document analysis. The field
work was carried out over a period of six months in 2013. An
analysis of the field data revealed multiple pathways of teacher
professional development existing in the school. The results indicate
that school leaders, the teacher community in the school, students,
and the teachers themselves were the agents in a school that
facilitated teacher empowerment. Besides contributing to the
knowledge base on teacher professional development, the results of
this study provide directions for educational policy makers in their
efforts to enhance professional development in secondary schools of
similar characteristics. For school leaders and the teacher community,
these findings offer guidelines for maximizing the opportunities for
these professional development practices, by strengthening
collegiality and by using the existing structures optimally for the
benefit of all concerned.
[1] R.H. Heck, “Examining the Relationship between Teacher Quality as an
Organizational Property of Schools and Students' Achievement and
Growth Rates.” Educational Administration Quarterly, 43 (4), 2007,
399-432. doi: 10.1177/0013161X07306452
[2] K. J. Rowe, The importance of teacher quality as a key determinant of
students’ experiences and outcomes of schooling. Background paper to
Keynote address, ACER Research Conference, Melbourne, 19-21
October, 2003. Retrieved from
http://research.acer.edu.au/research_conference_2003/3H.
[3] L. Darling-Hammond, “Teacher Quality and Student Achievement: A
Review of State Policy Evidence.” Education Policy Analysis Archives,
8(1), 2000, 1-44.
[4] P. F. Drucker, Managing in the Next Society. Truman Talley Books,
New York, NY, 2002.
[5] T. Guskey, & M. Huberman, Professional Development in Education:
New Paradigms and Practices. New York: Teachers College Press,
1995.
[6] R. Elmore, Bridging the gap between standards and achievement: The
imperative for professional development in education. Washington, DC:
The Albert Shanker Institute, 2002.
[7] J. Colbert, R. Brown, S. Choi, & S. Thomas, An investigation of the
impacts of teacher-driven professional development on pedagogy and
student learning. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American
Educational Research Association. April 2007. Chicago, IL
[8] E. Villegas-Reimers, Teacher Professional Development: an
International Review of the Literature. Paris: UNESCO International
Institute for Educational Planning, 2003.
[9] L. M. Desimone, “Improving Impact Studies of Teachers’ Professional
Development: Toward Better Conceptualizations and Measures,”
Educational Researcher, vol. 38, no.3, pp. 181-199, 2009.
[10] J. Blasé, and J. Blasé, “Principals’ Instructional Leadership and Teacher
Development: Teachers’ Perspectives,” Educational Administration
Quarterly, vol. 35, no. 3, pp.349-378, 1999. doi:
10.1177/0013161X99353003.
[11] P. Hallinger, “A Review of Two Decades of Research on the Principal
Ship Using the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale.” The
Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association.
Seattle, WA, 2001.
[12] P. Hallinger, and J. Murphy, “Assessing the Instructional Leadership
Behavior of Principals.” Elementary School Journal, vol.86, no. 2, 217–
248, 1985.
[13] S. M. Johnson, S. Birkeland, S. M. Kardos, D. Kauffman, E. Liu, and H.
G. Peske, Retaining the Next Generation of Teachers: The Importance of
School-Based Support. Cambridge, MA: The Project on the Next
Generation of Teachers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education,
2001.
[14] Sarason, S. B. School Change: The Personal Development of a Point of
View. New York: Teachers College Press, 1995.
[15] J. Blase, and J. R. Blase, Empowering Teachers: What Successful
Principals Do (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2001.
[16] K. Xaymana, and C. Valakone, “Shifting the Principal’s Role to
Facilitating Teachers’ Empowerment.” Conference of South East Asia
School Principal’s Forum (SEASPF), Brunei Darussalam, January,
2011. Retrieved from http://www.seaspf.org.index.php/home/15-
articles/20-shifting.
[17] B. Lamperes, “10 Strategies for Staff Empowerment.” Principal
Leadership, vol. 4, no. 6, 2004, 32- 37.
[18] T. Berkey, and E. Dow, “Empowerment Zone: Texas School Beats the
Odds with a Shared Commitment to Student Learning.” Journal of Staff
Development, vol. 29, no. 4, 2008, 31-34.
[19] R. Bolam, A. McMahon, L. Stoll, S. Thomas, and M. Wallace, Creating
and Sustaining Effective Professional Learning Communities. Research
Report RR637. Universities of Bristol, Bath and London, Institute of
Education, 2005. Retrieved from
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RB637.pdf . [20] V. Vescio, D. Ross, and A. Adams, “A Review of Research on the
Impact of Professional Learning Communities on Teaching Practice and
Student Learning.” Teaching and Teacher Education, vol.24, 2008, 80-
91.
[21] R. C. Dierking, and R. F. Fox, ““Changing the Way I Teach”: Building
Teacher Knowledge, Confidence, and Autonomy.” Journal of Teacher
Education, XX (X), 2012, 1-16.doi: 10.1177/0022487112462893.
[22] J. Overton, “Early Childhood Teachers in Contexts of Power:
Empowerment and a Voice.” Australasian Journal of Early Childhood,
vol. 34, no. 2, 2009, 1-10.
[23] A. Murray, “Empowering Teachers through Professional Development.”
English Teaching Forum, vol. 48, no.1, 2010, 2-10.
[24] K. E. Fracaro, “The Real Meaning of Empowerment.” Contract
Management, vol. 46, no. 3, 2006, 4-7.
[25] J. McCarthy, and P. Riner, “The Accelerated Schools Inquiry Process:
Teacher Empowerment through Action Research.” Education, vol.117,
no. 2, 1996, 223-229.
[26] Y. J. Fandino, “Research as a Means of Empowering Teachers in the
21st century.” Educación y educadores, vol. 13, no.1, 2010, 109-124.
Retrieved from
http://educacionyeducadores.unisabana.edu.co/index.php/eye/article/vie
w/1624/2062.
[27] R. R. Smith, “Lesson Study: Professional Development for Empowering
Teachers and Improving Classroom Practice.” Unpublished doctoral
dissertation, Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations, Paper
1660.Florida State University. United States, 2008. Retrieved from
http://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/etd/1660.
[28] S. Smith, “Teacher Mentoring and Collaboration.” Journal of Special
Education Technology, vol. 17, no.1, 2002, 47- 48.
[29] G. Luna, and D. L. Cullen, Empowering The Faculty: Mentoring
Redirected and Renewed. ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education,
Washington, D.C, 1995.
[30] T. Asada, “Mentoring Novice Teachers in Japanese Schools.”
International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, vol. 1,
no.1, 2012, 54-65.
[31] V. Msila, “Instructional Leadership: Empowering Teachers through
Critical Reflection and Journal Writing.” J Soc Sci, vol. 35, no.2, 2013,
81-88.
[32] D. A. Schon, Educating the Reflective Practitioner: Toward a New
Design for Teaching and Learning in the Professions. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass, Inc. 1996.
[33] K. R. Fox, M. Campbell, and T. Hargrove, “Examining Reflective
Practice: Insights from Pre-Service Teachers, In-Service Teachers and
Faculty.” Journal of Research in Education, vol. 21, no.2, 2011, 37-54.
[34] A. Boon, “The Reflective Teacher: Towards Self-Actualization.” The
Language Teacher, vol. 35, no. 4, 2011, 27-30.
[35] J. Richards, and T. Farrell. Professional Development for Language
Teachers: Strategies for Teacher Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2005.
[36] C. Smith, J. Hofer, M. Gillespie, M. Solomon, and K. Rowe, “How
teachers change: A study of professional development in adult
education.” In Teacher Change and Development, Villia, P.R., Ed. Nova
Publishers, New York, 2006, pp.11-155.
[37] S. A. Karabenick, and A. Conley, Teacher Motivation for Professional
Development. Math and Science Partnership - Motivation Assessment
Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, 2011.
[38] C. K. Tittle, “Assessment of Teacher Learning and Development.” In
Handbook of Educational Psychology (2ndEdition) P. A. Alexander &
P. H. Winne (Eds.) Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc., 2006, pp.
953-980.
[39] V. D. Opfer, and D. Pedder, “Conceptualizing Teacher Professional
Learning.” Review of Educational Research, vol. 81, no. 3, September
2011, 376–407 DOI: 10.3102/0034654311413609.
[40] K. O’Reilly, Ethnographic Methods. (2nd Ed.). Routledge, New York
NY, (2012).
[41] P. Hallinger, “Instructional Leadership and the School Principal: A
Passing Fancy that Refuses to Fade Away.” Leadership and Policy in
Schools, vol. 4, 2005, 1–20 DOI: 10.1080/15700760500244793.
[42] J. P. Spillane, “Distributed Leadership.” The Educational Forum, vol.
69, no. 2, 2005, 143-150.
[43] A. Harris, “Teacher Leadership as Distributed Leadership: Heresy,
Fantasy or Possibility?” School Leadership & Management, vol. 23, no.
3, 2003, 313–324.
[44] C. Day, and A. Harris, “Teacher Leadership, Reflective Practice and
School Improvement” in Second International Handbook of Educational
Leadership and Administration, Leithwood K & Hallinger P (Eds),
Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic, 2003, 957-977.
[45] E. M. Glazer, and M. J. Hannafin, “The Collaborative Apprenticeship
Model: Situated Professional Development within School Settings.”
Teaching and Teacher Education, vol. 22, 2006, 179-193.
doi:10.1016/j.tate.2005.09.004.
[46] D. Thiessen, “Classroom Based Teacher Development.” In Hargreaves,
A. & Fullan, M. (eds.) Understanding Teacher Development. London,
Cassell / New York, Teachers College Press, 1992.
[47] M. Grangeat, “How do Teachers Learn and Develop throughout Their
Professional Career?” The European Conference on Educational
Research, University of Geneva, 13-15 September, 2006. Retrieved
from http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/157620.htm.
[48] B. B. Brown, and J. N. Webb, “Beliefs and Behaviour in Teaching.” In
Research in Review, Raths, J.ASCD Research council, Ed. 1968, 211-
217. Retrieved from
www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_196811_brown.pdf .
[49] S. de Vries, W. J. C. M. Grift, and E. P. W. A. Jansen, “Teachers’
Beliefs and Continuing Professional Development,” Journal of
Educational Administration, vol. 51, no. 2, 2013, 213 – 231. doi:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09578231311304715
[50] K. Kwakman, “Factors Affecting Teachers’ Participation in Professional
Learning Activities.” Teaching and Teacher Education vol. 19, 2003,
149 – 170. doi:10.1016/S0742-051X(02)00101-4.
[51] W. Heng, Cultural Interpretations of Socratic and Confucian Education
Philosophy. Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 605, 2013.
Retrieved from
http://ir.library.louisville.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1604&context
=etd.
[1] R.H. Heck, “Examining the Relationship between Teacher Quality as an
Organizational Property of Schools and Students' Achievement and
Growth Rates.” Educational Administration Quarterly, 43 (4), 2007,
399-432. doi: 10.1177/0013161X07306452
[2] K. J. Rowe, The importance of teacher quality as a key determinant of
students’ experiences and outcomes of schooling. Background paper to
Keynote address, ACER Research Conference, Melbourne, 19-21
October, 2003. Retrieved from
http://research.acer.edu.au/research_conference_2003/3H.
[3] L. Darling-Hammond, “Teacher Quality and Student Achievement: A
Review of State Policy Evidence.” Education Policy Analysis Archives,
8(1), 2000, 1-44.
[4] P. F. Drucker, Managing in the Next Society. Truman Talley Books,
New York, NY, 2002.
[5] T. Guskey, & M. Huberman, Professional Development in Education:
New Paradigms and Practices. New York: Teachers College Press,
1995.
[6] R. Elmore, Bridging the gap between standards and achievement: The
imperative for professional development in education. Washington, DC:
The Albert Shanker Institute, 2002.
[7] J. Colbert, R. Brown, S. Choi, & S. Thomas, An investigation of the
impacts of teacher-driven professional development on pedagogy and
student learning. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American
Educational Research Association. April 2007. Chicago, IL
[8] E. Villegas-Reimers, Teacher Professional Development: an
International Review of the Literature. Paris: UNESCO International
Institute for Educational Planning, 2003.
[9] L. M. Desimone, “Improving Impact Studies of Teachers’ Professional
Development: Toward Better Conceptualizations and Measures,”
Educational Researcher, vol. 38, no.3, pp. 181-199, 2009.
[10] J. Blasé, and J. Blasé, “Principals’ Instructional Leadership and Teacher
Development: Teachers’ Perspectives,” Educational Administration
Quarterly, vol. 35, no. 3, pp.349-378, 1999. doi:
10.1177/0013161X99353003.
[11] P. Hallinger, “A Review of Two Decades of Research on the Principal
Ship Using the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale.” The
Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association.
Seattle, WA, 2001.
[12] P. Hallinger, and J. Murphy, “Assessing the Instructional Leadership
Behavior of Principals.” Elementary School Journal, vol.86, no. 2, 217–
248, 1985.
[13] S. M. Johnson, S. Birkeland, S. M. Kardos, D. Kauffman, E. Liu, and H.
G. Peske, Retaining the Next Generation of Teachers: The Importance of
School-Based Support. Cambridge, MA: The Project on the Next
Generation of Teachers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education,
2001.
[14] Sarason, S. B. School Change: The Personal Development of a Point of
View. New York: Teachers College Press, 1995.
[15] J. Blase, and J. R. Blase, Empowering Teachers: What Successful
Principals Do (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 2001.
[16] K. Xaymana, and C. Valakone, “Shifting the Principal’s Role to
Facilitating Teachers’ Empowerment.” Conference of South East Asia
School Principal’s Forum (SEASPF), Brunei Darussalam, January,
2011. Retrieved from http://www.seaspf.org.index.php/home/15-
articles/20-shifting.
[17] B. Lamperes, “10 Strategies for Staff Empowerment.” Principal
Leadership, vol. 4, no. 6, 2004, 32- 37.
[18] T. Berkey, and E. Dow, “Empowerment Zone: Texas School Beats the
Odds with a Shared Commitment to Student Learning.” Journal of Staff
Development, vol. 29, no. 4, 2008, 31-34.
[19] R. Bolam, A. McMahon, L. Stoll, S. Thomas, and M. Wallace, Creating
and Sustaining Effective Professional Learning Communities. Research
Report RR637. Universities of Bristol, Bath and London, Institute of
Education, 2005. Retrieved from
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RB637.pdf . [20] V. Vescio, D. Ross, and A. Adams, “A Review of Research on the
Impact of Professional Learning Communities on Teaching Practice and
Student Learning.” Teaching and Teacher Education, vol.24, 2008, 80-
91.
[21] R. C. Dierking, and R. F. Fox, ““Changing the Way I Teach”: Building
Teacher Knowledge, Confidence, and Autonomy.” Journal of Teacher
Education, XX (X), 2012, 1-16.doi: 10.1177/0022487112462893.
[22] J. Overton, “Early Childhood Teachers in Contexts of Power:
Empowerment and a Voice.” Australasian Journal of Early Childhood,
vol. 34, no. 2, 2009, 1-10.
[23] A. Murray, “Empowering Teachers through Professional Development.”
English Teaching Forum, vol. 48, no.1, 2010, 2-10.
[24] K. E. Fracaro, “The Real Meaning of Empowerment.” Contract
Management, vol. 46, no. 3, 2006, 4-7.
[25] J. McCarthy, and P. Riner, “The Accelerated Schools Inquiry Process:
Teacher Empowerment through Action Research.” Education, vol.117,
no. 2, 1996, 223-229.
[26] Y. J. Fandino, “Research as a Means of Empowering Teachers in the
21st century.” Educación y educadores, vol. 13, no.1, 2010, 109-124.
Retrieved from
http://educacionyeducadores.unisabana.edu.co/index.php/eye/article/vie
w/1624/2062.
[27] R. R. Smith, “Lesson Study: Professional Development for Empowering
Teachers and Improving Classroom Practice.” Unpublished doctoral
dissertation, Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations, Paper
1660.Florida State University. United States, 2008. Retrieved from
http://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/etd/1660.
[28] S. Smith, “Teacher Mentoring and Collaboration.” Journal of Special
Education Technology, vol. 17, no.1, 2002, 47- 48.
[29] G. Luna, and D. L. Cullen, Empowering The Faculty: Mentoring
Redirected and Renewed. ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education,
Washington, D.C, 1995.
[30] T. Asada, “Mentoring Novice Teachers in Japanese Schools.”
International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, vol. 1,
no.1, 2012, 54-65.
[31] V. Msila, “Instructional Leadership: Empowering Teachers through
Critical Reflection and Journal Writing.” J Soc Sci, vol. 35, no.2, 2013,
81-88.
[32] D. A. Schon, Educating the Reflective Practitioner: Toward a New
Design for Teaching and Learning in the Professions. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass, Inc. 1996.
[33] K. R. Fox, M. Campbell, and T. Hargrove, “Examining Reflective
Practice: Insights from Pre-Service Teachers, In-Service Teachers and
Faculty.” Journal of Research in Education, vol. 21, no.2, 2011, 37-54.
[34] A. Boon, “The Reflective Teacher: Towards Self-Actualization.” The
Language Teacher, vol. 35, no. 4, 2011, 27-30.
[35] J. Richards, and T. Farrell. Professional Development for Language
Teachers: Strategies for Teacher Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2005.
[36] C. Smith, J. Hofer, M. Gillespie, M. Solomon, and K. Rowe, “How
teachers change: A study of professional development in adult
education.” In Teacher Change and Development, Villia, P.R., Ed. Nova
Publishers, New York, 2006, pp.11-155.
[37] S. A. Karabenick, and A. Conley, Teacher Motivation for Professional
Development. Math and Science Partnership - Motivation Assessment
Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, 2011.
[38] C. K. Tittle, “Assessment of Teacher Learning and Development.” In
Handbook of Educational Psychology (2ndEdition) P. A. Alexander &
P. H. Winne (Eds.) Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc., 2006, pp.
953-980.
[39] V. D. Opfer, and D. Pedder, “Conceptualizing Teacher Professional
Learning.” Review of Educational Research, vol. 81, no. 3, September
2011, 376–407 DOI: 10.3102/0034654311413609.
[40] K. O’Reilly, Ethnographic Methods. (2nd Ed.). Routledge, New York
NY, (2012).
[41] P. Hallinger, “Instructional Leadership and the School Principal: A
Passing Fancy that Refuses to Fade Away.” Leadership and Policy in
Schools, vol. 4, 2005, 1–20 DOI: 10.1080/15700760500244793.
[42] J. P. Spillane, “Distributed Leadership.” The Educational Forum, vol.
69, no. 2, 2005, 143-150.
[43] A. Harris, “Teacher Leadership as Distributed Leadership: Heresy,
Fantasy or Possibility?” School Leadership & Management, vol. 23, no.
3, 2003, 313–324.
[44] C. Day, and A. Harris, “Teacher Leadership, Reflective Practice and
School Improvement” in Second International Handbook of Educational
Leadership and Administration, Leithwood K & Hallinger P (Eds),
Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic, 2003, 957-977.
[45] E. M. Glazer, and M. J. Hannafin, “The Collaborative Apprenticeship
Model: Situated Professional Development within School Settings.”
Teaching and Teacher Education, vol. 22, 2006, 179-193.
doi:10.1016/j.tate.2005.09.004.
[46] D. Thiessen, “Classroom Based Teacher Development.” In Hargreaves,
A. & Fullan, M. (eds.) Understanding Teacher Development. London,
Cassell / New York, Teachers College Press, 1992.
[47] M. Grangeat, “How do Teachers Learn and Develop throughout Their
Professional Career?” The European Conference on Educational
Research, University of Geneva, 13-15 September, 2006. Retrieved
from http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/157620.htm.
[48] B. B. Brown, and J. N. Webb, “Beliefs and Behaviour in Teaching.” In
Research in Review, Raths, J.ASCD Research council, Ed. 1968, 211-
217. Retrieved from
www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_196811_brown.pdf .
[49] S. de Vries, W. J. C. M. Grift, and E. P. W. A. Jansen, “Teachers’
Beliefs and Continuing Professional Development,” Journal of
Educational Administration, vol. 51, no. 2, 2013, 213 – 231. doi:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09578231311304715
[50] K. Kwakman, “Factors Affecting Teachers’ Participation in Professional
Learning Activities.” Teaching and Teacher Education vol. 19, 2003,
149 – 170. doi:10.1016/S0742-051X(02)00101-4.
[51] W. Heng, Cultural Interpretations of Socratic and Confucian Education
Philosophy. Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 605, 2013.
Retrieved from
http://ir.library.louisville.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1604&context
=etd.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:70804", author = "Shanthi Thomas", title = "Teacher Professional Development–Current Practices in a Secondary School in Brunei Darussalam", abstract = "This research paper presents the current practices of
teacher professional development, perceived as beneficial by teachers
themselves, in a private secondary school in Brunei Darussalam. This
is part of the findings of a larger qualitative study on teacher
empowerment, using ethnographic methods for data collection, i.e.
participant observation, interviews and document analysis. The field
work was carried out over a period of six months in 2013. An
analysis of the field data revealed multiple pathways of teacher
professional development existing in the school. The results indicate
that school leaders, the teacher community in the school, students,
and the teachers themselves were the agents in a school that
facilitated teacher empowerment. Besides contributing to the
knowledge base on teacher professional development, the results of
this study provide directions for educational policy makers in their
efforts to enhance professional development in secondary schools of
similar characteristics. For school leaders and the teacher community,
these findings offer guidelines for maximizing the opportunities for
these professional development practices, by strengthening
collegiality and by using the existing structures optimally for the
benefit of all concerned.", keywords = "Colleagues and the wider teacher community, school
leaders, self-driven professional development, teacher professional
development.", volume = "9", number = "8", pages = "2834-9", }
