Introduction

Many scholars have proposed that teachers are the root to enhance the quality of our education in Hong Kong. What are the qualifications for this work? Surely, “knowledge, skills, attitude” are indispensable. In other words, training a high quality teacher cannot be done in just a few months. On the contrary, opportunities should be continuously provided for them to grow. Hong Kong Baptist University, Department of Education Studies, side by side with the local education development, has been at the forefront in launching new courses. In 2004, “Subject Teaching and Subject Knowledge (STSK)” series is one of the best examples to show our commitment to the education of Hong Kong.

Regarding the offering of continuing professional development for teachers, the Advisory Committee on Teacher Education and Qualifications recommends teacher training institution “work together in partnership with schools to plan and design school-based and personal continuing professional development courses in order to accompany individual teachers and changing needs of the teaching profession”. As one of the teacher training institutions in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Baptist University, Department of Education Studies, believes that a balanced development of teachers is beneficial for the advancement of local education.

It is quite demanding for teachers to face teaching, administrative and student issues, and also make time for continuous education at the same time. With limited time and space, what then is the way to actively pursue further studies effectively and systematically, and also conveniently so as to enhance personal qualities? Effort from all parties is essential. Hong Kong Baptist University, Department of Education Studies, Continuing Professional Development Unit, is actively creating various short-term courses to sustain the process of teachers’ development.

Continuing Professional Development Committee

Department of Education Studies

Hong Kong Baptist University

Mission and Goal

The establishment of the Teachers Continuing Professional Development Committee is in response to the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on Teacher Education and Qualifications Committee. According to the report “Learning Professional, Professional Learning – Teacher Competencies Framework and teachers continuing professional development” issued in November 2003, where it was suggested that the teacher training institutions should “work together in partnership with schools to plan and design school-based and personal continuing professional development courses in order to accompany individual teachers and changing needs of the teaching profession development”

In the view of this background, the “Teacher Continuing Professional Development Unit” formulated a long-term work plan with the following two objectives:

To provide:

• front-line educators and administrative decision makers with all kinds of innovative and effective professional development courses to suit individual teachers and the changing needs of teachers’ profession development
• our front-line educators and administrative decision-makers, with a platform of practical experience for school management, curriculum reform, curriculum design, teaching activities, through the exchange of practical experience, observations and learning in an attempt to improve the teaching and quality of school management
  
  

Summary of continuing professional development of teachers

Since the beginning in 2002, principals began a 150-hour course of principal continuing education over three years. At the same time, the Continuing Professional Development policy (CPD) for primary and secondary school teachers, in alignment with the report “Learning Professional, Professional Learning – Teacher Professional Competencies Framework and Teachers Continuing Professional Development” by the Advisory Committee on Teacher Education and Qualifications Committee, was officially launched and initiated a period of three year continuous professional development of teachers as a “trial period.”

The report made clear the importance of continuing education of teachers, and further established the concept that teachers must engage in a process of continuous education. Through the implementation of specific policies, primary and secondary school teachers were encouraged to conduct more systematic continuing professional development programmes within this framework to further enhance the quality of teaching.

To enable front-line educators to gain a more in-depth understanding of the impact of “teachers continuing professional development” on all in-service teachers,. this article brings together the relevant information and offers some brief discussion on the issue.

Policy address and Key points

1. All teachers, regardless of their rank and duties, should participate in not less than 150 hours of continuing professional development activities within each three-year cycle;
2. The 150 hours includes self-education and school-affair related professional development activities, of which not less than 50 hours needs to involve systematic study (for example: participation in local / overseas conferences, short courses, seminars and conferences, overseas study tour, workshops, education bachelor’s or master’s programs, etc.); also not less than 50 hours should involve other kinds of continuing professional development activities (for example, joining teaching activities, sharing their good or innovative teaching methods with educators inside/outside school, sharing reading experience and the related concept of the teaching profession, teaching mentoring, action learning in studying group, participating in educational affairs committee and serving as an advisor for professional development activities / promotion, etc.);
3. commencing in the 2003, the three-year “trial period” will allow schools and teachers to explore and try professional development content, weight?, resources, and records of such things; school can flexible carry out throughout the “trial period” appropriate times for the activities according to the school and teachers’ own circumstances through teacher consultation and the spirit of school-based development,
4. teachers were to be given the recognition and support to attend continuing professional development activities by school management, and the training content was to be coordinated by the school according to their overall development needs, the activities were to be flexible in order for adjustments to be made at any time and to meet teachers’ personal needs and co-ordinate with the overall direction of the school’s development;
5. both teachers and schools were required to systematically preserve relevant records. Records would include two parts: of the professional development cycle (i) plans set out after discussion, as well as (ii) the actual conduct of the continuing education activities.

Content of the “Teacher Competencies Framework”

        a. the document developed a blueprint named “Teacher Competencies Framework” as the basis for the sustainable development of teachers. The term “framework” covers four major areas: “Teaching and Learning”, “Student Development”, “School Development”, and “Relationships and Services between professional groups “;