THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF COLLEGE TEACHERS:
A Study of the Québec Master Teacher Program

“This book has utility while being both engaging and credible. Susan has situated herself carefully in the study and attended to her assumptions and biases by monitoring her reflective process throughout the work. Her multiple data sources, her transparent and grounded complementary analytic approaches and the longitudinal nature of the study make the work solid, convincing, and trustworthy. It will be an excellent example and model for other researchers.” – Prof. Lynn Butler-Kisber, McGill University

“The book is an important one, not only in the province of Quebec where the study takes places but nationally and internationally.” – Prof. Claudia A. Mitchell, McGill University

PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
DEDICATION
1. INTRODUCTION
Relevance of Topic
Situating Myself within This Research
Research Questions
The Master Teacher Program
Overview
History and Rationale
Objectives
Structure
Statistics
Core Courses
Overview of Thesis
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
Overview of Professional Development
Professional Development, Teaching, and Higher Education
The Scholarship of Teaching in North America and Internationally
Knowledge About: Theoretical Knowledge Base on Teacher Professional Development
From Teacher to Learner-Centered Focus
Knowledge How To: A Sampling of Existing
Programs on Teacher Professional Development
The Craft Model
The Expert Model
The Interactive Model: Examples in the UK, Australia, and Canada
The Reflection Movement in Education
Key Issues
Conceptualizing Reflection
A Contemporary Model
Measuring Reflection
Learning to Reflect
Reflection and Teacher Perspectives
Summary
3. METHODOLOGY
Method
Access to and Selection of Participants
Methods of Data Collection
The Interview Process
Methods of Data Analysis
Categorizing the Data
Triangulating findings
Connecting the Data
Summary
4. CATEGORIZING THE INTERVIEWS
Beginning the Analysis
From Sequential to Developmental Analysis
Examining the First Set of Interviews
Hanging On
Becoming Unsettled
Shifting
The Metaphor of Awakening
Examining the Second Set of Interviews
Thinking Theoretically
Connecting Theory with Practice
The Metaphor of Stretching
Examining the Third Set of Interviews
Implementing New Strategies
Rationalizing the Process
Impacting
The Metaphor of Exercising
Examining the Fourth Set of Interviews
Extending Perspectives
Perspectives Influence Practice
The Metaphor of Shaping
Summary
5. CONNECTING THE DATA
Deana: Becoming Open to Change
Anne: Learning as a Student
Fran: Learning in Community
Summary
6. ACUIRING A PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION
The MTP: A Model of Professional Development for CEGEP
Teachers
Methodological Contributions
Changing Perspectives
The Process of Evolution in Teacher Perspectives
Understanding the Learner and the Learning Process
Understanding the Teacher and the Teaching Process: Increased Intentionality
Changes in Self-Knowledge
Underlying Factors
The Evolving Practitioner
The Importance of Examining Teacher Perspectives
Summary
7. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Retrospective
Limitations of the Study
Future Research
Final Recommendations
General Recommendations
Specific Recommendations for Professional Development
Programs in Higher Education
APPENDIX A: LIST OF COURSES OFFERED IN MTP
APPENDIX B: LETTER OF APPROVAL FROM MTP STEERING COMMITTEE
APPENDIX C: CERTIFICATE OF ETHICAL ACCEPTABILITY AND RENEWAL REQUEST
APPENDIX D: RESEARCH PROJECT INFORMATION FOR MTP STUDY
APPENDIX E: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
APPENDIX F: PARTICIPANT CONSENT FORM
APPENDIX G: CONTACT SUMMARY SHEET
APPENDIX H: INITIAL DISCOVERY SHEET
APPENDIX I: SAMPLE REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
APPENDIX J: SAMPLE CONCEPT MAPS
REFERENCES
INDEX