Managing teacher professional development in Macau South-East Asia

Abstract

This study endeavours to explore the management of teacher professional development (TPD) for the implementation of the Primary Cambridge Curriculum at Macau Anglican College (MAC), Southeast Asia. Professional development (PD) in this research study is about learning for teachers and students and is viewed as a process to augment teacher knowledge and skills. Literature refers to PD as a structured, professional means of learning to enhance teacher knowledge, skills, and practices and to boost students’ learning outcomes. The theoretical framework underpinning this study is based on the transformative and adult learning theories. A qualitative case study research design was used, and data was collected by conducting seven individual interviews, a focus group interview with four participants, and analysing institutional documents such as teacher evaluation reports, TPD records and student academic records. The study revealed that teachers experienced professional growth and were grateful for PD training. However, the need to address content and skills in PD, the lack of a grassroots approach, the want for equitability for PD, the need for skills and content training and sharing of good practice were identified as shortcomings. Nevertheless, the study concluded that PD was satisfactorily managed.

Hierdie studie wil die bestuur van onderwyserprofessionele-ontwikkeling (OPO) vir die implementering van die Primêre Cambridge-kurrikulum by Macau Anglikaanse Kollege in Suidoos-Afrika ontgin. Professionele ontwikkeling (PO) in hierdie navorsingstudie behels leer vir onderwysers en studente en word beskou as ’n proses om onderwyserkennis en -vaardighede uit te brei. Die literatuur verwys na professionele ontwikkeling as ’n gestruktureerde, professionele manier van leer om onderwysers se kennis, vaardighede en praktyke te verryk en om die studente te help om die leeruitkomste te bereik. Die teoretiese raamwerk wat hierdie studie onderlê, is op die transformatiewe en volwasseleerteorieë gegrond. ’n Kwalitatiewe gevallestudie-navorsingsontwerp is gebruik en data is ingesamel deur middel van sewe individuele onderhoude, ’n fokusgroeponderhoud met vier deelnemers en die ontleding van institusionele dokumente soos onderwyserevalueringsverslae, OPO-rekords en studente se akademiese rekords. Die studie het aan die lig gebring dat onderwysers professionele groei ervaar en dankbaar is vir professionele ontwikkelingsopleiding. Die behoefte om aandag aan inhoud en vaardighede in professionele ontwikkeling te gee, die gebrek aan ’n voetsoolbenadering, die behoefte aan regverdigheid by professionele ontwikkeling, die behoefte aan vaardighede en inhoudsopleiding en die deel van goeie praktyke, is egter as tekortkominge geïdentifiseer. Die studie het nietemin tot die slotsom gekom dat professionele ontwikkeling bevredigend bestuur word.

Esi sifundo sizama ukuphonononga ulawulo lophuhliso lobungcali bobutitshala (iTPD) ukuze kuqhutywe ikharityhulam eyiPrimary Cambridge Curriculum kwikholeji eyiMacau Anglican College (MAC), ekummandla okuMzantsi Mpuma waseAsia. Uphuhliso lobungcali (iPD) kwesi sifundo lumalunga nokufunda kootitshala nabafundi kwaye lubonwa njengenkqubo yokongeza ulwazi nezakhono zootitshala. Uncwadi kubhekisa kwiPD njengendlela yobungcali yokufunda eyandisa ulwazi nezakhono zootitshala nokukhulisa iziphumo zokufunda zabafundi. Isakhelo sengcingane esisekele olu phando sithathelwe kwiingcingane zenguqu kwizifundo zabantu abadala. Kusetyenziswe indlela yophando yokuzathuza kwisifundo esingumzekelo. Kuqokelelwe idatha ngokuqhuba udliwano ndlebe nganye nganye kubantu abasixhenxe nakwiqela logxininiso elinamalungu amane, kwaphengululwa imiqulu yeziko lemfundo efana neengxelo zovavanyo lweetitshala, iingxelo zeTPD neengxelo zeziphumo zemfundo yabafundi. Esi sifundo sifumanise ukuba ootitshala bazifumana bekhula kubungcali babo kwaye banombulelo ngokufumana uqeqesho lwePD. Noxa kunjalo, kufumaniseke ukuba kukho ukusilela ekufezekiseni izidingo malunga neziqulatho nezakhono kwiPD, ukungaqali ezantsi xa kuqeqeshwa, ukungalingani kwiPD, uqeqesho ngokomxholo nezakhono nokwabelana ngamacebo okusebenza awakhayo. Ngaphandle koko, isifundo sigqibe kwelokuba iPD ilawulwa ngokwanelisayo.