Page 209 - Innovative Professional Development Methods and Strategies for STEM Education

Impact of a Professional Development Programme

beliefs, and as a result, her prior beliefs became more established, as in the use of L1-L2 dichotomy, as
well as adding some new constructs to her existing beliefs. She elaborated her existing beliefs by adding
new input, in her beliefs regarding classroom management during the practicum.
The practicum generally provides trainee teachers with atypical teaching experience that could dif-
fer from that of regular teachers. In this study, the trainee teachers taught only 20 lessons in a 10-week
practicum. It is uncertain whether and how their beliefs might change when they become real language
teachers in the classroom upon starting teaching profession. It is also uncertain whether their changed
beliefs in the teaching practicum can be sustained in their future practice where more contextual chal-
lenges might emerge. Moreover, in terms of school contexts, while the learning environment in the field
school was considered highly favourable, particularly in the case of this participant, it remains unclear
whether the trainee teachers’ beliefs would have undergone similar changes had they been placed in a
school with less support.
The study was conducted with teacher candidates in the context of an (English language) teacher
education department in Turkey; as such, it might be considered context-specific. However, this research
leads to a deeper understanding of how teacher educators can support and challenge future teachers
in their ability to think critically and thoughtfully in coming to terms with dilemmas and concerns in
their teaching practicum. It is expected that this study provides insights into designing an innovative
programme to promote trainee teachers’ school-based professional development in STEM education.

FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS

The study demonstrates the complex processes of a trainee teacher’s belief change in coming to terms
with her dilemmas. Such findings can improve our understanding of pre-service teachers’ cognitive
learning at the practicum site and generate useful implications about how such learning can be facilitated
and supported through CAR in teacher education programmes in similar EFL contexts.
The presents study focuses on one participant in a particular school; its findings cannot be general-
ized to other contexts. Despite this, some insights can be gained from the findings for the design and
improvement of the practicum component of the pre-service language teacher education. First of all, it
can be pointed out that maximum opportunities should be provided for trainee teachers to take part in
various professional activities in the teaching practicum, such as reflective journal writing (Lee, 2008),
post-lesson interviews (Watson & Williams, 2004), and collaborative action research (Johnston, 2009;
Mitchell, et al.,2009). Through exposure to various forms of professional learning activities, trainees can
engage in critical reflection on their perceptions about language teaching and learning (Gao & Benson,
2012), develop an appreciation of the complexities and challenges that comprise teachers’ professional
practice, and construct a strong self-belief as a language teacher (Borg, 2006; Turnbull, 2005). Further
research can investigate in greater depth the long-term belief development of pre-service language teach-
ers, particularly the possible change in their beliefs in their first few years of teaching.
In addition, the data derived from the participants in the present study suggest that school mentors
with their obviously grammar-based teaching styles developed a favourable perception about the train-
ees’ more communicative teaching after a rather deprecating initial reaction to the trainees’ teaching
practices. Noticing that students’ attention was enhanced, they greatly appreciated and welcomed such
communicative activities. Hence, further research can investigate this area.

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