Directions of improving the quality of in-service teacher training in Serbia: The perspectives of different participants

Abstract

Improving the quality of in-service teacher training is a very topical issue in educational policies of a number of countries. This segment of the system was also subject to considerable changes in Serbia in the past ten years. The changes brought about certain improvements, but also opened up numerous dilemmas and issues. This paper is aimed at acquiring an insight into the opinions of different participants on the ways of improving the quality of in-service teacher training. The sample included three groups of respondents: the employees in education bureaucracy and experts in the field of education (N=34), principals (N=50) and expert associates from primary schools (N=93). We developed a questionnaire for the purposes of this research, using open-ended questions to collect respondents’ suggestions on improving the quality of in-service teacher training. The content analysis method was used to process the collected data. Research results point to three directions of the necessary changes: (1) better governing of the system of in-service teacher training, (2) providing funding and other forms of support, and (3) higher flexibility of in-service teacher training and implementation of the acquired knowledge. The range and quality of respondents’ suggestions demonstrate the need to take into account different perspectives in overcoming the difficulties in the system and practice of in-service teacher training. Consequently, the obtained results should be observed as a contribution to creating a more purposeful and efficient system of in-service teacher training.

Unapređivanje stručnog usavršavanja nastavnika veoma je aktuelna tema u obrazovnim politikama mnogih zemalja. U Srbiji je, takođe, ovaj segment sistema bio predmet značajnih promena u poslednjih deset godina. Promene su donele određene pomake, ali otvorile su i brojne dileme i pitanja. Cilj ovog rada je sticanje uvida u mišljenja različitih aktera o načinima unapređivanja stručnog usavršavanja nastavnika. Uzorak čine tri grupe ispitanika: zaposleni u prosvetnoj administraciji i stručnjaci iz oblasti obrazovanja (N=34), direktori (N=50) i stručni saradnici osnovnih škola (N=93). Za potrebe ovog istraživanja konstruisan je upitnik, a predlozi ispitanika o unapređivanju stručnog usavršavanja nastavnika prikupljeni su pomoću pitanja otvorenog tipa. Dobijeni podaci su analizirani primenom metode analize sadržaja. Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju na tri pravca potrebnih promena: (1) bolje upravljanje sistemom stručnog usavršavanja nastavnika, (2) obezbeđivanje finansijskih sredstava i drugih vidova podrške i (3) veća fleksibilnost usavršavanja nastavnika i primena stečenih znanja. Obuhvatnost i kvalitet predloga ispitanika upućuju na potrebu uvažavanja različitih perspektiva u prevazilaženju teškoća u sistemu i praksi usavršavanja nastavnika. Prema tome, dobijene rezultate treba posmatrati kao doprinos osmišljavanju svrsishodnijeg i efikasnijeg sistema profesionalnog razvoja nastavnika.