Researching the impact of teacher professional development programmes...

This paper deals with the topic of professional development programmes’ impact. Concepts and ideas of action research, constructivism, and systems theory are used as a theoretical framework and are combined to describe and analyse an exemplary professional development programme in Austria. Empirical findings from both quantitative and qualitative studies regarding the programme’s impact are provided and discussed. Moreover, implications for future programmes’ planning and implementation are provided. 

Challenges for the teaching profession (e.g., output orientation, mandatory quality evaluation and development, changes in society) have resulted in an increased demand for corresponding professional development and an adequate theoretical framework. The question of how to effectively promote teachers’ professional development is of great interest. In Austria, several teacher professional development programmes are trying to react on these changed issues : Starting in 1982, various professional development programmes  were have been set up and are still running until today. This paper sketches one particular programme’s development and impact by providing and discussing its theoretical framework, main objectives, and impact research findings. Since there are nearly no examples (or empirical studies) showing that (or how) a participative action research framework leads to impact beyond short-term and local levels, this paper provides a rather complementary perspective on the topic of action-research-based teacher professional development programmes’ impact.