Teachers' Perceptions of Professional Development: What do Teachers Really Want That Makes Them Willing to Change Professional Practice?

Professional development is an essential tool for supporting and improving the work of teaching in our schools. The current study sought to understand which elements of professional development teachers perceive to be most important, and what specific characteristics about professional development influence their willingness to make changes in their professional practices. Q-Methodology was utilized to investigate the subjective opinions of public school teachers at one selected high school in North Carolina. Data analysis indicated four statistically significant factors: Individual Teacher Needs; Student and Teacher Learning; Collaboration; Supportive Structures and Environment. In addition, data emerged explaining how teachers view effective professional development and what it is about that professional development that encourages them to make changes in their teaching pedagogy. The findings from the study provide vital information about effective professional development for teachers, and also offer useful information to educational professionals, policy makers, and researchers about an important topic