English language teachers’ engagement in and preference for experiential learning for professional development

Experiential learning is an assertion in the professional development of teachers. However, there is a scarcity of studies exploring experiential learning from the integrative perspectives in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context and at the level of a primary school. This study, therefore,...

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Main Authors: Teferi Hatuye Helate, Tekle Ferede Metaferia, Tesfaye Habtemariam Gezahegn
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022-10-01
Series:Heliyon
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844022021880
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author Teferi Hatuye Helate
Tekle Ferede Metaferia
Tesfaye Habtemariam Gezahegn
author_facet Teferi Hatuye Helate
Tekle Ferede Metaferia
Tesfaye Habtemariam Gezahegn
author_sort Teferi Hatuye Helate
collection DOAJ
description Experiential learning is an assertion in the professional development of teachers. However, there is a scarcity of studies exploring experiential learning from the integrative perspectives in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context and at the level of a primary school. This study, therefore, aimed to assess primary school EFL teachers’ engagement in experiential learning from these perspectives. A concurrent mixed research design was adopted to explore the cases. 186 teachers were selected for the questionnaire while eight teachers were selected for interviews. Questionnaires, document analysis, and interviews were used to collect data. The data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The results indicated that most primary school English language teachers were mostly engaged in professional learning and development activities. Besides, they applied cognitive experiential learning strategies and preferred diverger experiential learning styles dominantly. These findings indicate a deviation from the scope, focus, and major aims of experiential learning and constructivist premises. As a result, the study suggested that the teacher development programs for primary school teachers in the EFL context should incorporate activities that lead to the self-directed and autonomous learning of teachers.
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spelling doaj.art-80906122038444238a1df7fde0dea78a2022-12-22T02:42:52ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402022-10-01810e10900English language teachers’ engagement in and preference for experiential learning for professional developmentTeferi Hatuye Helate0Tekle Ferede Metaferia1Tesfaye Habtemariam Gezahegn2Department of English Language and Literature, Arba Minch University, EthiopiaDepartment of English Language and Literature, Jimma University, EthiopiaDepartment of English Language and Literature, Arba Minch University, Ethiopia; Corresponding author.Experiential learning is an assertion in the professional development of teachers. However, there is a scarcity of studies exploring experiential learning from the integrative perspectives in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context and at the level of a primary school. This study, therefore, aimed to assess primary school EFL teachers’ engagement in experiential learning from these perspectives. A concurrent mixed research design was adopted to explore the cases. 186 teachers were selected for the questionnaire while eight teachers were selected for interviews. Questionnaires, document analysis, and interviews were used to collect data. The data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The results indicated that most primary school English language teachers were mostly engaged in professional learning and development activities. Besides, they applied cognitive experiential learning strategies and preferred diverger experiential learning styles dominantly. These findings indicate a deviation from the scope, focus, and major aims of experiential learning and constructivist premises. As a result, the study suggested that the teacher development programs for primary school teachers in the EFL context should incorporate activities that lead to the self-directed and autonomous learning of teachers.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844022021880Experiential learningLearning styleSelf-directed learningProfessional development
spellingShingle Teferi Hatuye Helate
Tekle Ferede Metaferia
Tesfaye Habtemariam Gezahegn
English language teachers’ engagement in and preference for experiential learning for professional development
Heliyon
Experiential learning
Learning style
Self-directed learning
Professional development
title English language teachers’ engagement in and preference for experiential learning for professional development
title_full English language teachers’ engagement in and preference for experiential learning for professional development
title_fullStr English language teachers’ engagement in and preference for experiential learning for professional development
title_full_unstemmed English language teachers’ engagement in and preference for experiential learning for professional development
title_short English language teachers’ engagement in and preference for experiential learning for professional development
title_sort english language teachers engagement in and preference for experiential learning for professional development
topic Experiential learning
Learning style
Self-directed learning
Professional development
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844022021880
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