Views on Professional Development in International Schools: A Quantitative Study

Despite extensive research regarding best practices in professional development (PD), minimal research is available to determine administrator views regarding PD in international schools. This study ascertains the views of administrators on how professional development is planned, implemented, evaluated, and resourced in international schools. A survey of over 90 international school administrators worldwide was conducted. Participants consider PD to include a wide range of activities. Regarding PD practice, 60 participants indicated that it was a requirement by the school for all teachers, 15 indicated it was a requirement for IB teachers only, and 10 indicated that it was required for AP teachers only. The results suggest the importance teachers and administrators place on working together to determine PD needs, and there was strong agreement on teachers being involved in assessing PD effectiveness. Findings from quantitative data indicated strong agreement that administrators should work collaboratively with teachers to determine the professional development needs of the school and that teachers should be involved in assessing professional development effectiveness. The observations and conclusions drawn from the quantitative research provided evidence that guided the selection of areas that needed deeper understanding and inquiry during the interview phase that followed.