Teachers ’ Motivation to Attend Voluntary Professional Development in

Teachers choose to attend professional development courses and workshops for a range of reasons. New mathematics syllabuses in NSW with increased expectations for student learning outcomes created opportunities for providers to support the implementation of the new syllabuses. The participants at four six-week professional development courses completed surveys indicating motivation for attendance. This paper considers the reasons 109 teachers chose to attend these events and the type of knowledge they value as reported in evaluations of the courses. Responses were categorised using Shulman’s knowledge categories with pedagogical content knowledge, curriculum knowledge and knowledge of learners as most valued. According to Grundy and Robison (2004), professional development serves three functions (extension, renewal and growth) and is usually initiated through two drivers (systemic and personal). Systemic professional development is typically associated with renewal whereas personal professional development may serve all three functions. Exploring the reasons for a “personal desire and motivation by teachers to sustain and enhance their professional lives ” (Grundy & Robison, 2004, p. 147), particularly in mathematics education where there is a shortage of qualified teachers, may help providers to plan appropriate content and knowledge building experiences to enrich and retain more teachers in the profession (Martinez, 2004)