Mind the Gap: How Teachers’ Professional Development Preferences Relate to Scientific Recommendations

Abstract

There is extensive empirical research on principles of effective teacher professional development (PD). However, teachers’ expectations of PD and how well these align with scientific recommendations are only rarely addressed. N = 125 teachers were presented with video vignettes on two evidence-based interventions of varying complexity for which they indicated their own PD preferences. Teachers’ preferences were then compared to scientific recommendations for effective PD. In line with scientific recommendations, teachers generally preferred coherent PD with a clear content focus and collective participation. However, there were large differences between individual teachers’ preferences as well as between PD features. A striking discrepancy between research and practice was found for PD duration: Most teachers preferred one-shot workshops (six contact hours at most). Surprisingly, teachers barely differed in their PD preferences for interventions of varying complexity, indicating that teachers have clearly defined notions of PD. Regression analyses on individual and contextual factors did not yield systematic results to explain teachers’ PD preferences. In sum, teachers’ desired short duration, their lacking awareness of adjusting PD for interventions of varying complexity, and individually significant deviations from scientific recommendations for PD make it necessary to clearly communicate evidence-based standards to teachers—and policymakers.