The professional development needs of beginning and experienced teachers in four municipalities in Sweden

• Published in: Professional development in education Vol. 48; no. 4; pp. 624 - 641
• Main Authors: Karlberg, Martin, Bezzina, Christopher
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 08.08.2022
• Subjects: Beginning Teacher Induction; Beginning Teachers; continuing professional development; Curriculum Studies; Didaktik; Education; Educational Cooperation; Educational Needs; Faculty Development; Foreign Countries; Inservice Teacher Education; Municipalities; Pedagogik; Professional Autonomy; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Education Programs; Teacher Motivation; teacher professional needs; Sweden
• ISSN: 1941-5257; 1941-5265; 1941-5265
• DOI: 10.1080/19415257.2020.1712451

This article reports findings from a larger study aimed at identifying the perceptions of teachers across four municipalities in Sweden on continuing professional development. It focuses on beginning teachersˡ, namely those who are in their first five years of their career. This study has been undertaken amidst growing concern that current models of in-service training in Sweden are not leaving the desired impact on teacher motivation and student achievement; that the teaching profession feels disengaged, disempowered, distrusted. It has been undertaken in a context which is finding it hard to attract teachers into the profession, and one where teacher attrition is high. The responses help to shed light on what the municipalities and teacher education institutions need to focus on in order to support new teachers. Implications are drawn out for schools, municipalities and teacher education institutions as they need to come together to engage in more collaborative ventures to ensure adequate and ongoing support to new teachers.