Taking 21st century skills from vision to classroom: What teachers highlight as supportive professional development in the light of new demands from educational reforms

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to accentuate teachers’ voice and examine what teachers consider as useful professional development for promoting 21st century skills as presented in educational reforms. The teachers participated in a professional development program designed to support teachers in bridging the gap between visionary reforms and classroom practice. Over a three-year period, 56 courses were conducted, reaching 1187 teachers. Results from this large-scale qualitative study show that teachers highlighted instructional strategies modelled during the course as supportive together with easy access to teaching resources and increased confidence. Implications for future professional development programs are discussed.