PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE IN ESL LECTURERS’ PEDAGOGICAL BELIEFS AND ACTIONS ABOUT THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN A MALAYSIAN POLYTECHNIC CONTEXT

Abstract

The implementation of a particular technology (Cidos) by ESL lecturers in Adiwira Polytechnic was low despite the requirement for them to implement an innovation: a particular teaching approach which combines classroom teaching with technology to develop certain 21st-century skills in students. Research has shown that lecturers’ utilisation of technology in their teaching context is strongly influenced by their beliefs, which could be shaped by professional development. This study aims to explore how their beliefs about teaching and technology affect the implementation of the innovation and how professional development sessions affect their beliefs and actions. Building on existing works of Rokeach’s theoretical suggestion on beliefs and Guskey’s model of lecturer change, this study asks: What are lecturers’ beliefs on the utilisation of technology in their teaching context and how did professional development influence their beliefs and implementation of technology. In this context, lecturers’ pedagogical belief is defined as lecturers’ implicit assumption about students, learning, classrooms, and the subject matter to be taught. Based on a review of the literature on lecturers’ beliefs, technology implementation and professional development, semi-structured interview, observation, online group discussion, focus group and researcher’s journal were used were carried out with two (2) ESL lecturers at the institution. Analysis of the participants’ responses demonstrated that change in lecturers’ beliefs and technology implementation was associated with professional development with certain criteria. The results of this study indicate that professional development does have an impact on lecturers’ beliefs and implementation of technology. On this basis, it is recommended that Adiwira Polytechnic management team uses professional development as a key factor in shaping lecturers’ beliefs and implementation of technology in their teaching context. Further research is needed to identify strategies that could improve the effectiveness of professional development programmes while considering barriers that would halt the progress, such as lack of technology and access to the internet.  

Date of Award	6 Jan 2021
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Gary Motteram (Supervisor) & Susan Brown (Supervisor)