Teachers’ professional development: main factors fostering progress of education

Abstract

Continuous professional development is considered as a duty of teachers. Training of teachers is perceived as a consistent system, comprising of studies that provide the basis of teachers’ qualification acquirement as well as the growth of a teacher, which begins with pedagogical internship and is continued through the entire period of active pedagogical activity, during which professional competences are enhanced. Continuous professional improvement of teachers in Lithuanian general education schools consists of such aspects: teachers’ professional education, growth, teachers’ in-service training at accredited institutions, teachers’ learning in workplace while providing collegial feedback. The main purpose of continuous professional development is to seek professional mastership, which would positively impact the achievements and progress of students. There were 75 accredited teachers’ in-service training institutions at 2019 operating in Lithuania. A large portion of teachers’ qualification improvement facilities are municipality education centres, educational helpdesks. These institutions are operating in 47 municipalities of Lithuania. Educators’ training centres, other departments of higher education schools, public and private organisations are actively working as well.