Often research on the professional development (PD) of staff is framed within a problem-based context that focuses on the PD-related problems experienced by staff. This study pursued a different approach by using the appreciative inquiry (AI) theoretical perspective to study the positive experiences of staff in respect of PD and their desire to improve the practice of PD even further. A qualitative study was carried out among four schools with maximum variance. The findings reveal the main aim of continuing PD, the changing attitudes engendered by PD, the prominent role of the principal and the requirements for effective PD programs including the selection of facilitators, appropriate venues and the timing and duration of workshops, as well as feedback on workshops. The study provides evidence that an AI approach may be used as a basis for identifying guidelines on improving PD practice. The article concludes with implications of the findings for principals of schools.
BernauerJ. (2002, Winter). Five keys to unlock continuous improvement. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 38(2), 89-92.
2.
BezzinaC. (2002). Preparing a model of professional development schools in Malta. Curriculum and Teaching, 17(2), 73-84.
3.
BillingsD. M.KowalskiK. (2008, March). Appreciative inquiry. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 39(3), 104.
4.
BlochG. (2008, July31). SA in the midst of an education crisis. The Star, p. 19.
5.
BoyleB.LamprianouI.BoyleT. (2005). A longitudinal study of teacher change: What makes professional development effective? Report of the second year of the study. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 16(1), 1-27.
6.
BrandtR. (2003). Is this school a learning organization? 10 ways to tell. Journal of Staff Development, 24(1), 10-17.
7.
BusheG. R. (2007). Appreciative inquiry is not (just) about the positive. OD Practitioner, 39(4), 30-35.
8.
BusheG. R.KassamA. F. (2005). When is appreciative inquiry transformational? A meta-case analysis. Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences, 41, 161-181.
9.
CalabreseR. L.HummelC.MartinT. S. (2007). Learning to appreciate at-risk students: Challenging the beliefs and attitudes of teachers and administrators. International Journal of Educational Management, 21, 275-291.
CooperriderD. L.SrivestaS. (1987). Appreciative inquiry in organizational life. Research in Organisational Change and Development, 1, 129-169. Retrieved from http://www.appreciativeinquiry.org/AI-Life.htm
12.
CorbinJ.StraussA. (2008). Basics of qualitative research (3rd ed.). London, UK: Sage.
13.
CreswellJ. W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry and research design. Choosing among five approaches (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
14.
DaymonC.HollowayI. (2002). Qualitative research in public relations and marketing communications. London, UK: Routledge.
15.
DenzinN. K.LincolnY. S. (2008). Collecting and interpreting qualitative materials. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
16.
DesimoneL. M.SmithT. M.UenoK. (2006). Are teachers who sustained, content-focused professional development getting it? An administrator’s dilemma. Educational Administration Quarterly, 42, 179-215.
17.
DoringA. (2002, February3-7). Lifelong learning for teachers: Rhetoric or reality? Challenging futures?Changing agendas in teacher education. Armidale, New South Wales, Australia. Retrieved from http://scs.une.edu.au/CF/Papers/pdf/ADoring.pdf
18.
Drago-SeversonE. (2007). Helping teachers learn; Principals as professional development leaders. Teachers College Record, 109(1), 70-125.
19.
DunlapC. A. (2008, February). Effective evaluation through appreciative inquiry. Performance Improvement, 47(2), 23-29.
20.
EllevenR. K. (2007, Summer). Appreciative inquiry: A model for organizational development and performance improvement in student affairs. Education, 127, 451-465.
21.
FrattL. (2007, June). Professional development for the new century. District Administrator, 43, 57-60.
22.
GrayS. L. (2005). An enquiry into continuing professional development for teachers. University of Cambridge, UK: Esmee Fairbairn Foundation.
23.
HarwoodT.ClarkeJ. (2006, February). Grounding continuous professional development in teaching practice. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 43(1), 29-39.
24.
HenningE.Van RensburgW. (2005). Finding your way in academic writing (2nd ed.). Pretoria, South Africa: Van Schaik.
25.
HirschS. (2005). Professional development and closing the achievement gap. Theory into Practice, 44(1), 38-44.
26.
HodkinsonH.HodkinsonP. (2005, June). Improving schoolteachers’ workplace learning. Research Papers in Education, 20(2), 109-131.
27.
HodkinsonP.ColleyH.MalcolmJ. (2003). The interrelationships between informal and formal learning. Journal of Workplace Learning, 15, 113-318.
28.
LeeH.-J. (2005, Spring). Developing a professional development programme model based on teachers’ needs. The Professional Educator, XXV11, 39-49.
29.
LehnerR.HightD. L. (2006, Spring). Appreciative inquiry and student affairs: A positive approach to change. College Student Affairs Journal, 25, 141-151.
30.
LewisJ.Van TiemD. (2004). Appreciative inquiry: A view of a glass half full. Performance Improvement, 43(8), 19-15.
31.
LincolnY. S.GubaE. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. London, UK: Sage.
32.
MaaranenK.KynäslahtiH.Krokforsl. (2008). Learning a teacher’s work. Journal of Workplace Learning, 20(2), 133-145.
33.
McMillanJ. H.SchumacherS. (2006). Research in Education. Evidence-based inquiry. 6th edition.Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
34.
MewbornD. S.HubertyP. D. (2004, June). A site-based model for professional development at the elementary school level. Pythagoras, 2-7.
35.
MooreK. B. (2000, November/December). Successful and effective professional development. Scholastic Early Childhood Today, 15(3), 14-16.
36.
MoswelaB. (2006, November/December). Teacher professional development for the new school improvement: Botswana. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 25, 625-632
37.
MundryS. (2005, Spring). Changing perspectives in professional development. Science Educator, 14(1), 9-15.
38.
MunondeL. C. (2007). Effective teaching and learning in secondary schools of the Thohoyandou district through continuous professional development programmes. Unpublished master’s thesis, University of South Africa.
39.
NielsenT. (2008). Implementation of learning styles at the teacher level. Education + Training, 50, 155-166.
40.
PatonC. (2006, September8). Education in crisis: A lot to learn. Financial Mail, p. 1.
41.
PattonM. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
42.
PreskillH.CatsambasT. T. (2006). Reframing evaluation through appreciative enquiry. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
43.
RademeyerA. (2007, September5). Pandor wys die armste skoolgroepe [Pandor shows the poorest school groups], Beeld, p. 27.
44.
Republic of South Africa. (2006). National policy framework for teacher education and development in South Africa. Pretoria, South Africa: Government Printer.
45.
Republic of South Africa. (2007, May4). National policy framework for teacher education and development in South Africa (Vol 503, No 29868). Pretoria, South Africa: Government Printer.
Rodriguez-CamposL.Rincones-GomezR.ShenJ. (2005). Secondary principals’ educational attainment, experience, and professional development in the USA. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 8, 309-319.
48.
SchuttD. A. (2007). A strength-based approach to career development using appreciative inquiry. Broken Arrow, OK: National Career Development Association.
49.
SteynG. M. (2008). Continuing professional development for teachers in South Africa and social learning systems: Conflicting conceptual frameworks of learning, Koers, 73(1), 15-31.
50.
SteynG. M. (2009). Teacher’s perceptions of the provision of continuing professional development programmes in South Africa: a qualitative study, Acta Academica, 41(4), 114-138.
51.
SteynG. M.Van NiekerkL. J. (2005). Professional development of teachers: Critical success factors. Koers, 70(2), 125-149.
52.
South African Council for Educators. (2007). Professional development: Promoting the development of educators and enhancing the image of the teaching profession. Pretoria, South Africa: Centurion.
53.
Van VeenK.SleegersP. (2006). How does it feel? Teachers’ emotions in a context. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 38(1), 85-111.
54.
VemićJ. (2007). Employee training and development and the learning organization (UDC331.363. iFacta Universitatis). Economics and Organization, 4, 209-216.
