Continuing Professional Development for EFL Secondary School Teachers at Different Career Stages: Voices from Romania

The project focuses on Romanian secondary school EFL teachers’ engagement in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) across career stages. The study explores teachers’ motivations for engaging in CPD, the criteria followed when choosing CPD opportunities, and their views regarding current CPD policy and provision. Current literature indicates that both teaching context, particularly country context (e.g. Wermke, 2011), and career stage (e.g. Day et al, 2007) influence teachers’ approach to and engagement in CPD. A lens of Reflective Practice (RP) (Farrell, 2017), Professional Life Stages (Day et al., 2007), and Goal Contents Theory (part of Self-Determination theory), under an umbrella of Moderate Social Constructivism, was used to examine teachers’ reflections on past CPD experiences. The Romanian context is particularly relevant when discussing teachers’ motivations in relation to undergoing CPD and the contribution of RP to CPD-related decisions. This is due to national CPD policy: 90 credits are required every five years, but exact programmes or opportunities being left up to individual teachers. An exploratory, qualitative design was used. Participants were Romanian secondary school EFL teachers at different career stage working in the state system: four early-career teachers, nine mid-career teachers, and three late-career teachers. Teachers were asked to either take part in semi-structured interviews or complete reflective CPD journals. Results reveal an overall eagerness to undertake CPD and individual efforts and successes, but also barriers and ongoing difficulties. More specifically, teachers show an intrinsic motivation to engage in CPD and a commitment to the profession. However, they are often held back by the available time and resources. Contributions are made to theory in relation to teachers’ motivations for undertaking CPD and socio-cultural perspectives on teacher learning and CPD. The study also contributes to practice and policy, by informing their alignment to teachers’ needs.