Speaker
Description
The realm of higher education is actively embracing a variety of educational innovations and professional development programs to enhance teachers' expertise. The notion of teacher change, as enhanced by teacher professional development, is gaining traction globally, signifying a collective aspiration to advance educational reform through targeted teacher growth. Given the encouraging policies on teacher professional development, it is crucial to consider teachers' voices on how such professional development initiatives influence their professional evolution. The present study utilized a questionnaire to gather both quantitative and qualitative insights from eighteen EFL teachers from a university in Vietnam regarding their changes following their participation in teacher professional development. The findings reveal that professional development has fostered multifaceted changes within the teachers' cognitive, affective, and behavioral realms. These teachers have noted shifts in their understandings, thoughts, behaviors, and feelings regarding their teaching and learning, with the majority reporting positive outcomes. Such improvements suggest that professional development is instrumental in enhancing teachers' understanding, practices, and sentiments about their profession. The study underscores the significant role of teacher professional development in catalyzing educational progress.
Key words: teacher change, professional development, EFL teachers' perspectives
