Abstract

To promote and support teaching excellence, the Centre for Learning Enhancement And Research (CLEAR) provides professional development opportunities for teachers through the Professional Development Course (PDC), workshops, talks, seminars and large-scale activities.  Though feedback of participants on the effectiveness of these PD activities is always collected through the course evaluation, the impacts of the professional development and their sustainability have not been explored thoroughly.

With the implementation of the Strategic Plan (2016 – 2020), teachers are expected to go into new areas, e.g. eLearning, internationalization and assessment.  These new developments have warranted more diverse professional development opportunities to cater for the needs of both new and experienced teachers in order for them to cope with the changes in the teaching context, student diversity and prevalent pedagogies in the tertiary sector.

Against such backgrounds, this project is proposed to (1) identify gaps in the need of both new and experienced teachers for professional development support in light of the recent developments in T and L; (2) formulate a comprehensive framework for professional development suitable for CUHK teachers; and (3) revise, if deemed necessary, the content and conduct of the PDC and other professional development activities at the University level.

The outcomes of the project will set a blueprint for future professional development opportunities which will better address the pedagogical needs of both new and experienced teachers of CUHK.

Brief write-up

Project objectives

The project is aimed at achieving three major aims:

• identifying gaps in the need of both new and experienced teachers for professional development support in light of the recent developments in T and L;
• formulating a comprehensive framework for professional development in teaching suitable for CUHK teachers; and
• reviewing, if deemed necessary, the content and conduct of the PDC and other professional development activities at the University level.

Activities, process and outcomes

To achieve the objectives, activities conducted included reviewing the current professional development support and practices in local and overseas universities and the Professional Standards Framework of Advance HEA; a literature review on teaching development and teacher support; administering a teacher questionnaire on training support needs; collecting teacher feedback on training support provided; formulating a framework for professional development for CUHK; and making recommendations for the implementation of the framework in the PDC.

Deliverables and evaluation

Deliverable included a review of professional development programmes currently offered by local, mainland and overseas universities; a teacher questionnaire on training support needs; a framework for professional development; and a revised PDC in terms of content and delivery mode.

Dissemination, diffusion, impact and sharing of good practices

The deliverables of the project will impact on the professional development of CUHK teachers in terms of teaching and learning. Teachers, new and experienced alike, will be better prepared for revised teaching and learning policies and practices and innovative pedagogies.

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