Managing the professional development of natural science teachers in secondary schools in Kien Thuy District, Hai Phong City, using experiential learning
Keywords:
natural science teaching, professional development, secondary schoolsAbstract
Research Objectives: This study aims to assess the current status and effectiveness of professional development management for natural science teaching at secondary schools in Kien Thuy District, Hai Phong City. The objective is to identify strengths and weaknesses in the current professional development programs and propose solutions for improvement. Research Methodology: A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining survey and case study methods. Data were collected from five secondary schools in Kien Thuy District: Dai Hop Secondary School, Doan Xa Secondary School, Tu Son Secondary School, Minh Tan Secondary School, Liem Tuyen Secondary School. Subjects included education and training department staff, school management personnel, teachers, and students. Data collection tools included structured questionnaires with quantitative and open-ended questions, semi-structured interviews with school management and teachers, and direct classroom observations to evaluate the implementation of experiential learning methods. Research Results: The results indicate that professional development programs have actively adopted diverse methods such as problem-solving, role-playing, and experiments. However, challenges remain in organizing experimental activities and field trips due to resource limitations (average score of 2.25). Monitoring and evaluating teacher engagement require improvement, with an average score of 2.18. Assessment of training outcomes also needs enhancement, with an average score of 2.20. The utilization of resources and policy implementation received the lowest score of 2.08, highlighting a significant need for improvement in resource mobilization and policy enforcement. Subjective factors such as teachers' self-motivation (2.40) and unified understanding among educational stakeholders (2.34), as well as objective factors like facility conditions (2.38) and leadership from higher authorities (2.25), all impact the effectiveness of professional development management. Proposed solutions include raising awareness, improving training plans, enhancing program management and execution, revising assessment and evaluation methods, and embracing digital tools to improve the quality and effectiveness of professional development programs.
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