Professional Learning Needs of Teacher Educators of the National Institute of Education, Cambodia

Professional Learning Needs of Teacher Educators of the National Institute of Education, Cambodia

Teacher educators at the National Institute of Education, Cambodia, have not been formally prepared or trained as teacher educators whose professional learning needs are crucial for characterizing daily practices. This study examines and elaborates on the desirable needs of teacher educators’ professional learning activities and the perception on their professional role. This study employs an explanatory mixed methods research design in which data was collected: (a) in the quantitative phase, from 89 teacher educators who completed a web-based survey, and (b) during the qualitative phase, from 13 teacher educators, who were interviewed regarding their professional learning activities and perceived needs to further their profession. The findings indicated that most teacher educators prioritize “pedagogy of teacher education” and “research knowledge and skills” as desirable needs. To achieve these needs, further education, such as Ph.D., would be required. Regarding their perceived roles, teacher educators reported that they viewed themselves as both teachers in a school context and teacher educators. This study addresses a knowledge gap in the field of teacher educators’ professional development and learning and highlights how professional learning activities and needs in the Cambodian context can be made transparent to stakeholders to achieve cost-effective and efficient professional learning.

___

  • Bain, Y. & Donald, G. ( 2018) “The Professional Development of Teacher Educators in Scotland: Researcherly Dispositions and Tensions.” Scottish Educational Review 50(2), 54–72. doi: 10.1163/27730840-05002005
  • Berry, A. (2021) Interlude: Teacher Educators’ Professional Development in Australia: Context and Challenges. Teacher Educators and Their Professional Development. 43
  • Blašková, M., Rudolf, B. & Alžbeta, K. (2014) “Competences and Competence Model of University Teachers.” Procedia - Social and Behavio-ral Sciences 159, 457–67. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.12.407
  • Boei, F., Jurriën, D., Janneke, G., Quinta, K., Bob, K., Mieke, L. & Martijn, W. (2015). “Supporting the Professional Development of Teacher Educators in a Productive Way.” Journal of Education for Teaching 41(4), 351–68. doi: 10.1080/02607476.2015.1080403.
  • Borg, S. & Yousif, A. (2012). “University Teacher Educators’ Research Engagement: Perspectives from Saudi Arabia.” Teaching and Teacher Education 28(3), 347–56. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2011.10.011.
  • Bowen, P., Rose, R. & Pilkington, A. (2017). Mixed Methods-Theory and Practice. Sequential, Explanatory Approach. International Journal of Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods. 32(6), 10–27.
  • Bullock, S. M. & Ritter, J. K. ( 2011) “Exploring the Transition into Academia through Collaborative Self-Study.” Studying Teacher Education 7(2), 171–81. doi: 10.1080/17425964.2011.591173.
  • Cochran-Smith, M. (2005) “Teacher Educators as Researchers: Multiple Perspectives.” Teaching and Teacher Education, 21(2), 219–25. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2004.12.003
  • Creswell, J. W., & Baez, J. C. (2021). 30 Essential Skills for the Qualitative Researcher. SAGE Publications, Inc.
  • Creswell, J. W. (2018) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. London: SAGE Publications, Inc.
  • Czerniawski, G., Guberman, A. & MacPhail, A. (2017) “The Professional Developmental Needs of Higher Education-Based Teacher Educators: An International Comparative Needs Analysis.” European Journal of Teacher Education 40(1). doi: 10.1080/02619768.2016.1246528.
  • Czerniawski, G., MacPhail, A., Vanassche, E., Ulvik, M., Guberman, A., Oolbekkink-Marchand, H. & Bain, Y. (2021). “Researching the Professional Learning Needs of Teacher Educators: Results from International Research.” Teacher Educators and Their Professional Development, 28–42.
  • Dinkelman, T., Margolis, J. & Sikkenga, K. (2006) “From Teacher to Teacher Educator: Experiences, Expectations, and Expatriation.” Studying Teacher Education 2(1), 5–23. doi: 10.1080/17425960600557447.
  • Douglas, A. (2021). “Promoting Research Activity with Student Teachers as Professional Development for Teacher Educators.” Exploring Professional Development Opportunities for Teacher Educators: Promoting Faculty-Student Partnerships, 212–31. doi: 10.4324/9781003160052-13
  • European Commission. 2013. Supporting Teacher Educators for Better Outcomes. Brussels.
  • Gay, L. R., Mills, G., E. & Airasian, P. (2012). Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Applications. New Jersey: Pearson.
  • Gong, Y., Young, A. M. & MacPhail, A. (2021). “The Complexity of Professional Identity: Chinese University Teachers Teaching in Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) Programmes.” European Journal of Teacher Education. doi: 10.1080/02619768.2021.1972967.
  • Guest, G., MacQueen, K. & Emily, N. (2014). Introduction to Applied Thematic Analysis. Applied Thematic Analysis, 3–20. doi: 10.4135/9781483384436.n1.
  • Gupta, V. (2014). Professional Development of Teacher Educators. Jamia Journal of Education. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/10694331
  • Hadar, L. L., & Brody., D. L. (2017) Professional Learning and Development of Teacher Educators.The SAGE Handbook of Research on Teacher Education, 1049–64. doi: 10.4135/9781526402042.n60.
  • Kennedy, A. (2005). Models of Continuing Professional Development: A Framework for Analysis. Journal of In-Service Education, 31(2), 235–50. doi: 10.1080/13674580500200277
  • Van der Klink, M., Kools, Q., Avissar, G., White, S. & Sakata, T. (2017) “Professional Development of Teacher Educators: What Do They Do? Findings from an Explorative International Study.” Professional Development in Education 43(2), 163–78. doi: 10.1080/19415257.2015.1114506
  • Kyaw, M. T. (2021). Factors Influencing Teacher Educators’ Research Engagement in the Reform Process of Teacher Education Institutions in Myanmar. SAGE Open, 11(4). doi: 10.1177/21582440211061349
  • Leech, B. L. (2002). Asking Questions: Techniques for Semistructured Interviews. PS - Political Science and Politics 35(4), 665–68. doi: 10.1017/S1049096502001129
  • Livingston, K., McCall, J. and Morgado, M. (2009). “Teacher Educators as Researchers. In Becoming a Teacher Educator: Theory and Practice for Teacher Educators. A. Swennen and M. Van der Klink (Eds). pp. 191-203 Springer
  • Loughran, J. (2014). Professionally Developing as a Teacher Educator. Journal of Teacher Education 65(4),271–83. doi: 10.1177/0022487114533386
  • Loughran, J, & Hamilton, M. L. (2016) International Handbook of Teacher Education. Singapore, SG: Springer Science and Business Media
  • Lunenberg, M., Dengerink, J. & Korthagen, F. (2014). The Professional Teacher Educator:Roles,Behaviour, and Professional Development of Teacher Educators. Springer Science & Business Media.
  • Lunenberg, M., Korthagen, F. & Swennen, A. (2007). The Teacher Educator as a Role Model. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23(5), 586–601. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2006.11.001
  • MacPhail, A. (2011). Professional Learning as a Physical Education Teacher Educator. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy 16(4), 435–51. doi: 10.1080/17408989.2011.582485
  • MacPhail, A., Ulvik, M., Guberman, A., Czerniawski, G., Oolbekkink-Marchand, H. & Bain, Y. (2018). The Professional Development of Higher Education-Based Teacher Educators: Needs and Realities. Professional Development in Education 45(5), 848–61. doi: 10.1080/19415257.2018.1529610.
  • Margolin, I. (2011). Professional Development of Teacher Educatos through a ‘Transitional Space’: A Surprising Outcome of a Teacher Education Program.” Teacher Education Quarterly, 7–25.
  • MoEYS. (2021). Cambodia Secondary Education Blueprint 2030. Phnom Penh.
  • Morberg, A. & Eisenschmidt, E. (2009). Second-Phase Induction for Teacher Educators: Challenges and Possibilities. In Becoming a Teacher Educator: Theory and Practice for Teacher Educators. A. Swennen & M. Van der Klink (Eds.), pp. 103-113. Springer: Netherlands
  • Murray, J. & Male, Y. (2005). Becoming a Teacher Educator: Evidence from the Field. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21(2), 125–42. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2004.12.006
  • Murray, J., Smith, K., Vanderlinde, R. & Lunenberg, M. (2021). Teacher Educators and Their Professional Development. Routledge
  • NIE. (2022). NIE Strategic Plan 2021-2025.
  • Oancea, A., Fancourt, N., Robson, J., Thompson, I., Childs, A. & Nuseibeh, N. (2021). Research Capacity-Building in Teacher Education. Oxford Review of Education 47(1), 98–119. doi: 10.1080/03054985.2020.1842184.
  • Ping, C. (2020). Understanding Teacher Educators’ Professional Learning.
  • Ping, C., Schellings, G. & Beijaard, D. (2018). Teacher Educators’ Professional Learning: A Literature Review.” Teaching and Teacher Education 75, 93–104. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2018.06.003
  • Shet, S. V., Patil, S. V. & Chandawarkar, M. R. (2019).Competency Based Superior Performance and Organizational Effectiveness. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management 68(4), 753–73. doi: 10.1108/ IJPPM-03-2018-0128.
  • Smith, K. (2020). Expansive Learning for Teacher Educators- The Story of the Norwegian National Research School in Teacher Education (NAFOL).” Frontiers in Education, 5, 1–12. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2020.00043
  • Swennen, A. & Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. 2005. Some Aspects of the Professional Development of Five Teacher Educators
  • Swennen, A ., Jones, K. & Volman , M. (2010). Teacher Educators: Their Identities, Sub-Identities and Implications for Professional Development. Professional Development in Education 36(1–2), 131–48.
  • Tack, H., Valcke, M., Rots, I., Struyven, K., & Vanderlinde, R. (2018).Uncovering a Hidden Professional Agenda for Teacher Educators: A Mixed Method Study on Flemish Teacher Educators and Their Professional Development. European Journal of Teacher Education 41(1), 86–104. doi: 10.1080/02619768.2017.1393514.
  • Van Velzen, C., Van der Klink, M., Swennen, A. & Yaffe, A. (2010). The Induction and Needs of Beginning Teacher Educators. Professional Deve-lopment in Education 36(1–2), 61–75. doi: 10.1080/19415250903454817.
  • White, S. (2019). Teacher Educators for New Times? Redefining an Important Occupational Group. Journal of Education for Teaching, 45(2), 200–213. doi: 10.1080/02607476.2018.1548174.
  • Williams, J., Ritter, J. & Bullock, S. M. (2012). Understanding the Complexity of Becoming a Teacher Educator: Experience, Belonging, and Practice within a Professional Learning Community.” Studying Teacher Education 8(3), 245– 60. doi: 10.1080/17425964.2012.719130.
  • Zaslavsky, O. & Leikin, R. (2003). Professional Development of Mathematics Teacher Educators: Growth Through Practice. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education 7(1), 5–32. doi: 10.1023/b:jmte.0000009971.13834.e1.