A Comprehensive Overview of Foreign Language Teachers' Professional Development: Self-directed and Institutional Professional Development Activities of English Teachers in Turkey

Abstract

When the literature on the professional development of English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers is examined, professional development predominantly encompasses institutional activities. This study critically examines conventional definitions and practices related to the professional development of EFL teachers, arguing that in line with the demands of the era, teachers' professional development should also include self-directed individual activities. However, for professional development activities to contribute to the ultimate goal of student learning, it is important for the organizational culture in which teachers are situated to be supportive of their professional development. To seek answers to research questions about how the institutional and self-directed activities carried out by EFL teachers in Türkiye and the organizational culture influence these activities, an exploratory sequential strategy was employed in the research. First, qualitative data were collected, and then quantitative data were collected through a survey tool developed based on the qualitative data. Comprehensive individual interviews were conducted with a total of 28 teachers across Turkey, and survey data were collected from 819 teachers. The findings are presented as self-directed (unstructured) professional development activities (e.g., use of search engines, reading news websites, watching videos/series, etc.) and institutional (structured) professional development activities (participation in national and international conferences, etc.). The necessity of foreign language teachers being involved in many individual activities through self-direction, beyond their participation in activities planned by institutions, for the professional development of a foreign language teacher is discussed. The study proposes a comprehensive perspective on the concept of professional development related to EFL teachers and offers recommendations for the field of foreign language teacher education.