Academy Insights: Community Perceptions of Professional Learning for Teachers and School Leaders

Background 

In late 2023, the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership (the Academy) commissioned research to explore the perceptions of the Victorian public towards Victorian primary and secondary school education, teachers and school leaders, and of the teaching profession.   

A cohort of 900 parents, guardians and carers of primary and secondary school-aged children were engaged through a survey and a series of focus groups. This paper unpacks the key findings on the perceptions around education and teaching across Victoria, including views on teacher and school leader engagement in professional learning. 

Perceptions of Professional Learning of School Staff in Victoria 

• Limited awareness and knowledge: 
  • Less than 10% of those consulted claim to 'know a lot' about professional development/learning undertaken by school staff. 
  • Two-thirds of the group indicated they held some (but limited) knowledge of the professional learning undertaken by school staff. Parents were most likely to have some awareness compared to other members of the public.  
• Support for professional learning: 
  • Most of those consulted agree on the importance of teachers learning best practices to improve student outcomes and the necessity of professional learning due to changing education trends and held the view that professional learning can enhance teachers' job performance. 
  • The majority of those consulted support teachers taking time for professional learning programs. 
• Interest in learning more: 
  • Half of the research participants expressed interest in learning more about professional learning at schools, with higher interest levels among parents of school-aged children and individuals working in the education sector. 
  • Parents are particularly keen to understand the benefits of professional learning for students, types of courses undertaken by school staff, and outcomes for teachers. 
     

Strategies to Improve Perceptions of Professional Learning in Victoria 

• Research participants identified a number of potential strategies to improve perceptions teachers and school leaders undertaking professional learning. These include the following: 
• Increase awareness and understanding 
  • Parents of school-aged children were particularly interested in learning more about the professional learning undertaken by teachers. Parents noted that if they held a greater awareness of how professional learning could improve student outcomes, support for teacher absences or pupil-free days to engage in such activities would be enhanced.  
  • Parents reported that preferred methods to hear about the professional learning undertaken by school staff would be via the school newsletter or through emails from the school. 
• Highlight improvement 
  • Many parents indicated an interest in understanding how teacher engagement in professional learning is improving student outcomes. 44% expressed an interest in seeing how student results have differed prior to and following a teacher’s engagement in professional learning.  
  • 36% of parents expressed interest in schools sharing case studies on the teachers or school leaders who engaged in professional learning and the benefits that their engagement brought about. 

The Academy is working to increase awareness and understanding of the importance, the benefits and the impact of professional learning on teaching, school leadership and student outcomes. 

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