ABSTRACT

Background

Online CPD programmes may be able to assist the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education in enhancing teaching standards and learning outcomes while overcoming the barriers to implementation, which face-to-face (f2f) CPD programmes can encounter. Yet, little research has compared the effectiveness or differences between the online and f2f delivery of CPD within the Saudi context.

Purpose

This study aims to undertake a comparative evaluation study of the impact of f2f and online CPD programmes on science teachers’ pedagogical practice.

Sample

Twenty male science teachers, from different schools in Saudi Arabia, were selected to participate in this study. The sample was divided into two groups (face-to-face and online), each made up of 10 teachers.

Design and methods

The study used a mixed methods approach incorporating: (1) Classroom observations using the Flanders Interaction Analysis Category (FIAC) system of classroom observational analysis; (2) A questionnaire survey of all teacher participants; and (3) semi-structured interviews.

Results

The findings of the study suggest that the online CPD was as effective as, and in certain places more effective than, the f2f CPD in terms of developing conceptual understanding. Furthermore, the overall satisfaction was found to be more positive amongst those teachers undertaking the online CPD compared to those undertaking the f2f CPD.

Conclusion

These findings have important implications for educational policymakers as it shows that the use of online programmes is not only as effective, and in some cases more so, in terms of CPD training provision than traditional f2f but is easier to deliver. As such it provides an opportunity to expand the provision of CPD both across large geographical areas where f2f CPD might be traditionally difficult to access as well as in those countries in which social norms prevent direct f2f interaction between members of the opposite sex.

中文翻译：

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科学教师的持续专业发展：在线与面对面

摘要

背景

在线 CPD 项目可能能够帮助沙特阿拉伯教育部提高教学标准和学习成果，同时克服面对面 (f2f) CPD 项目可能遇到的实施障碍。然而，很少有研究比较沙特境内 CPD 在线交付和 f2f 交付之间的有效性或差异。

目的

本研究旨在对f2f 和在线 CPD 项目对科学教师教学实践的影响进行比较评估研究。

样本

来自沙特阿拉伯不同学校的 20 名男性科学教师被选中参加这项研究。样本分为两组（面对面和在线），每组由 10 名教师组成。

设计和方法

该研究采用混合方法方法，包括： (1) 使用 Flanders Interaction Analysis Category (FIAC) 课堂观察分析系统进行课堂观察；（2）对所有参与教师进行问卷调查；(3) 半结构化访谈。

结果

研究结果表明，就发展概念理解而言，在线 CPD 与 f2f CPD 一样有效，并且在某些地方更有效。此外，与从事 f2f CPD 的教师相比，从事在线 CPD 的教师的总体满意度更高。

结论

这些发现对教育政策制定者具有重要意义，因为它表明在线课程的使用不仅在 CPD 培训提供方面与传统的 f2f 一样有效，而且在某些情况下更有效，而且更容易提供。因此，它提供了一个机会，可以将 CPD 的提供扩展到传统上难以获得 f2f CPD 的大地理区域以及社会规范阻止异性成员之间直接 f2f 互动的国家。