Factors affecting primary teachers’ ability to engage in transformative professional learning

This paper investigated the internationally relevant topic of what factors enable or inhibit teachers’ engagement with teachers’ professional learning (TPL) and how these can confluence and result in transformative TPL, from the perspective of primary teachers in the Republic of Ireland. Significant factors in literature, which are deemed to influence the effectiveness of TPL, were synthesised in this review. A theoretical framework involving socio-cultural theory of learning and complexity theory was utilised. A multiple case study was employed and, through semi-structured individual interviews, data was collected from the perspectives of 14 primary teachers, in varying contexts, across the Republic of Ireland and was analysed thematically. The participants identified school leadership, school culture, collaborative practices, reflective practices, resources, relevance, teacher autonomy and particularly, the need for TPL to encompass a holistic view of the teacher, if professional learning is to lead to transformative practices. Recommendations include the recognition that TPL is a complex, non-linear and iterative path over the length of a teacher’s career and is dependent on varying contexts. Consequently, TPL needs to be flexible and bespoke to meet the needs of each teacher, within their current ecological contexts.