Abstract
This study is the continuation of a 1999 qualitative study in which the researchers examined the implementation of Local Professional Development Committees in the state of Ohio. This descriptive study examined the Individual Professional Development Plans (IPDP) of 133 teachers. Resultant data indicated that, from the wide array of possible selections for professional development (PD) including many that did not have any associated cost, thirteen different types of activities were chosen. The majority of teachers selected the traditional means of earning PD credit: university course work, inservice workshops, and conferences. The research revealed teacher confusion with this new form of earning credit. For example, the fourth most frequently selected PD activity, which the researchers categorized as In-Class Activities, was defined as pedagogical activities conducted within the confines of their own classrooms or actual classroom teaching obligations. Recommendations were made for ways to make PD more meaningful to the individuals and for ensuring that PD supports respective school districts in the attainment of continuous improvement goals.
Recommended Citation
O'Connor, C. Richele and Herrelko, Janet
(2003)
"Individual Professional Development Plans: In Search of Learning for Teaching,"
Mid-Western Educational Researcher: Vol. 16:
Iss.
2, Article 6.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/mwer/vol16/iss2/6
