TEACHERS’ PERCEPTION OF EFFECTS OF IN-SERVICE TRAINING ON THEIR TEACHING AND ON THEIR STUDENTS LEARNING

Abstract

There is intensive research on effective methods for in service teacher training (IST; Lipowsky & Rzejak, 2015). However, we know little about teachers’ perceptions of their gains from IST and its effects on their students, though this may contribute to teachers’ motivation to participate in and learn from IST.
This paper reports on two Mongolian studies targeting teachers’ perceptions of IST transfer effects. Study 1 collected information from a representative sample (N1=520) with a self-report questionnaire regarding changes instructional practice. In Study 2 teachers (N2=14) were interviewed about the changes in practice as well as the effects they observed on their students.
In Study 1, statistical analyses revealed that participants rated the changes in knowledge, skills and attitudes similarly. However, in their comments they attributed greater importance to the procedural domain. In Study 2, content analyses confirmed the emphasis on teachers’ skills and abilities. Mostly higher student motivation and sometimes higher achievement were attributed to teacher participation in IST. The interviews revealed a lack of reflectivity in most cases.
The information from quantitative and qualitative methodology provided a more comprehensive view on the effects of IST, which can be used for improving the efficiency of training. The concept and opportunities for reflection seem to be key issues for Mongolian IST curricula.
The project presented is beneficial for raising the effectiveness of IST because of the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. Recently, there has been growing attention on using mixed methodology. – In the present project, the questionnaire and the interview themes were the same, thus information collected in breadth and in depth could be related.