The frequency of continuing education of teachers: Effects of the professional teaching community and the sense of self (in relation to qualifications)

Abstract

The continuing education of teachers is an important requirement for the quality of the school and the teaching, but also for the implementation of change. This study is interested in the influence of the educational context and personal characteristics of teachers on their involvement in institutional and informal continuing education programs. A model based on collected data from a representative teacher sample at the lower secondary level in the cantons of Aargau and Thurgau was tested. Results showed the importance of the professional teaching community, a sense of self, along with their own competencies as well as a number of specialized teacher duties. In contrast to the original assumptions, the postulated factors were not able to explain institutionalized, continuing teacher education.