VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOT UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND ENTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES —-cafso— pAO THI HUYEN SECONDARY SCHOOL EFL TEACHER’S MOTIVATION FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT — AN INTERVIEW STUDY Sứ dụng phương pháp phỏng vấn nghiên cứu về động lực phát triển chuyên môn của giáo viên tiếng Anh tại một trường trung học phố thông M. MENOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: Language Teaching Methodology Corde: 60140111 HANOL, 2014 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOT UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND ENTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES —-cafso— pAO THI HUYEN SECONDARY SCHOOL EFL TEACHER’S MOTIVATION FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT — AN INTERVIEW STUDY Sứ dụng phương pháp phóng vấn nghiên cứu về động lực phát triển chuyên môn của giáo viên tiếng Anh tại một trường trung học phố thông M. MENOR PROGRAMME THESIS Ficld: Language Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 Supervisar: Ðr. Lê Văn Canh HANOI, 2014 DECLARATION | hereby declare that this thesis is a presentation of my original research work submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education at the Faculty of Postgraduate Sludics, ULIS, VNU.
The material in the research has not been submitted anywhere for any formal course assessment or any award. Whenever contributions of others arc involved, cvery effort is madc to indicate this clearly with appropriate acknowledgement and reference. I would also like io confirm my acceptance of the University’s requirements relating to the retention and use of my thesis deposited in the library for the purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the librarian for the care, loan, or reproduction of the paper Ha Noi, tune 2014 Ian Thi Huyen - to discuss some common professional development activities - to identify factors that affect either positively and negatively teachers’ motivation for professional development. Scope of the study Given the rationale and the aims of the study, it is necessary lo limit the study to the areas which are manageable.
Benefits of teacher professional development create the effectiveness of students’ leaming which focuses on two laviors: developing teachers’ motivation in participation in PD and factors affecting this process. The subjects under the study are at HaiAn High School. Research questions ‘The study attempts to find the answers to the following research questions - What are EFL teachers’ altitudes io professional development? - How motivated are they for professional development? -What are the common professional development activities secondary school teachers participate in? - What factors that affect teachers’ motivation for professional development in the secondary school context ? 5. Methods of the study Because the primary purpose of this study is to gain understanding of the phenomenon under investigation, the main methodology used is qualitative.
Specifically, data for this study wore merely oblained by means of facc-to- face interviews. Overview of the study The study is organized around three parts: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1 would like to send my special thanks to all of those people who contributed to this research, directly or indirectly First and foremost, I would like to expross my doupest and most sincere sense of gratitude to my Supervisor, Dr. Le Yan Canh, who offered me continuous advice, unfailing support and encouragement throughout lhe study I thank him for his systematic guidance, his insightful and constructive comments, and great effort he put in training me in the research domain. Moreover, I am spocially grateful Jor his generosity in (avilitating my acecss to precious source of materials, without which I could not have been equipped with sufficient theoretical knowledge to make this research possible.
Secondly, I am indebted to my collcagues for their timely assistance. T owe them my thanks for their enthusiasm in sharing their materials resources and inputting inspirational ideas so as to help me conceptualize the framework of my study. Last but not least, { take this opportunity to send my heartfelt thanks to all of my family for their unconditional love and care which stimulated me at every stage of my personal and academic life. ‘Their encouragement and expectation grant me more energy and determination.
and in some sense, cnable me to this accomplishment. TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION - - - - i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.senessemnennnineeanes AUSPRACT - - tit ARLE OF CONTENTS. 1v PART A; INTRODUCTION Chapter I: LITERATURE REVIEW - - - - 1 T1 INTRODUCTION 1. Aims of the study 3.
Scope of the study 4. Rsoarcli qu68lOB. toi 5, Methods of the study 6, Overview of the study Il. DEFINITION OF TERMINOLOGIES.
cue Components of Motivation .2, Professional development - co a IIL WHY IS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IMPORTANT?. 1, Why do educators need professional development? Did they learn what they need to know in college? - - - a) 3.2, Why do new cducators need extra support? 10 1V. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. „1l Mã TACTORS AFFECTTNG TEACITERS' PARTICTPATION TN PROTT:SSIONAI, DEVELOPMENT.„ l6 CHAPTER IL RESEARCIL METHODOLOGY - - l6 2.1 The setting of the sluty 16 HE.
Data collection instruments 16 2. lB CHAPTER IL: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION - - 19 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION - - - - i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.senessemnennnineeanes AUSPRACT - - tit ARLE OF CONTENTS. 1v PART A; INTRODUCTION Chapter I: LITERATURE REVIEW - - - - 1 T1 INTRODUCTION 1. Aims of the study 3.
Scope of the study 4. Rsoarcli qu68lOB. toi 5, Methods of the study 6, Overview of the study Il. DEFINITION OF TERMINOLOGIES.
cue Components of Motivation .2, Professional development - co a IIL WHY IS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IMPORTANT?. 1, Why do educators need professional development? Did they learn what they need to know in college? - - - a) 3.2, Why do new cducators need extra support? 10 1V. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. „1l Mã TACTORS AFFECTTNG TEACITERS' PARTICTPATION TN PROTT:SSIONAI, DEVELOPMENT.„ l6 CHAPTER IL RESEARCIL METHODOLOGY - - l6 2.1 The setting of the sluty 16 HE.
Data collection instruments 16 2. lB CHAPTER IL: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION - - 19 iv 1. Data analysis approach 19 2. Teachers’ perceptions of the importance of PP.
Teachers’ self-reported PD activities they often participated in.1, Formal PD activities. Infonnal PD acliviies 22, 2. Reflection on their teaching. ‘Teachers’ self-reports on the opportunities and challenges for their PD.1, Factors atfecting EFL teachers in PD.
29 4, Summary of the chapter - - 30 PART C: CONCLUSION - - - - 32 CHAPTER IV: CONCLUSION. Implications for teacher professional devclopment. Limitations of the study. Suggestions for future research.
36 APPENDIXL 1 PART A: INTRODUCTION Chapter I : LITERATURE REVIEW I. Rationale Everyone is continually developing as a person and, every day in the workplace, we are always learning. Tomorrow will be different from today and we all need to be prepared for change. Whether you think your rele is changing or nol, you need to be propared for the next development opportunity so you don't miss out.
Professional development has become a major focus in EFT, teacher education programs worldwide since it is undoubtedly beneficial and essential for professional growth and more ellcctive teachmg. In the paper presented at the first General Teaching Council for Nerthern Ireland Annual Lecture in Belfast in March 2006, Geoff Whitty for Institute of Education, University of Londen states that: Contemporary education reform — including marketisation and centralization, but also a new emphasis on the involvement of a wider range of stakeholders — has resulted in a period of significant change for teachers. It has also raised for new questions: for example, what is teacher professional development? How should we understand the roles of teachers? What professional development activities are available and accessible to teachers, and what are the factors affecting teacher's participation m those professional development activities? The purpose of this thesis isthus to refocus on our allention on tcachers’ views, cspecially on urgency of providing teacher professional development that change teachers behaviours in ways that lead to improvement in students’ performance. In addition to calling attention to the ongoing need for effective teacher professional development, I will describe characteristics of high quality professional development and make a case for an unconventional approach to professional L ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1 would like to send my special thanks to all of those people who contributed to this research, directly or indirectly First and foremost, I would like to expross my doupest and most sincere sense of gratitude to my Supervisor, Dr.
Le Yan Canh, who offered me continuous advice, unfailing support and encouragement throughout lhe study I thank him for his systematic guidance, his insightful and constructive comments, and great effort he put in training me in the research domain. Moreover, I am spocially grateful Jor his generosity in (avilitating my acecss to precious source of materials, without which I could not have been equipped with sufficient theoretical knowledge to make this research possible. Secondly, I am indebted to my collcagues for their timely assistance. T owe them my thanks for their enthusiasm in sharing their materials resources and inputting inspirational ideas so as to help me conceptualize the framework of my study.
Last but not least, { take this opportunity to send my heartfelt thanks to all of my family for their unconditional love and care which stimulated me at every stage of my personal and academic life. ‘Their encouragement and expectation grant me more energy and determination. and in some sense, cnable me to this accomplishment. development that, unlike “one-shot” workshop and inservice days, allow teacher to acquire and practice new skills over time.
While the end result of all education reform should be student improvement, every reform mitialive, if it is to succeed, must bogin with recognition of the importance of teachers in raising student performance (Ferguson, 1991; Armour-Thomas, Clay, Domanivo, Brune, & Allen, 1989). In other words, “student achicvement 1s the product of formal study by educators” (Joyce and Showers, 2002, p. We cannot expect students to change whal they do if we arc conlent Lor Leachors to continuc doing what they have always done. As an old adage puts it, “If you do what you've always done, you will get the results you’ve always gotten.” This thesis firstly presents the theoretical issues about the roles and nature of EFI, teachers in professional development.
To clarify these issues, the definition of terminologies is mentioned in chapter Il, ‘The next chapter is the presentation of the objectives, aims, methodology used for the research and its findmgs. ‘The conclusion which includes some comments and recommendations 1s presented in chapter IV. In consideration of these problems, as an Hnglish teacher, [ really want to clarify the topic here with my knowledge and my supervisor's guidance to analyze, understand the situation of leaching and learning English at HaiAn high school. ‘lhanks to it, 1 will find out lessons, experience for myself and make a small contribution to enhancing the effectiveness in leaching this subject 2.
Aims of the study The major aims of the study are: - to gain understandings of sccondary school Leachers’ motivation for profossional development, and define what is meant by motivation. 2 - to discuss some common professional development activities - to identify factors that affect either positively and negatively teachers’ motivation for professional development. Scope of the study Given the rationale and the aims of the study, it is necessary lo limit the study to the areas which are manageable. Benefits of teacher professional development create the effectiveness of students’ leaming which focuses on two laviors: developing teachers’ motivation in participation in PD and factors affecting this process.
The subjects under the study are at HaiAn High School. Research questions ‘The study attempts to find the answers to the following research questions - What are EFL teachers’ altitudes io professional development? - How motivated are they for professional development? -What are the common professional development activities secondary school teachers participate in? - What factors that affect teachers’ motivation for professional development in the secondary school context ? 5. Methods of the study Because the primary purpose of this study is to gain understanding of the phenomenon under investigation, the main methodology used is qualitative.