The managers’ role in the professional development of teachers in a vocational education and training institution

Abstract

Vocational Education and Training (VET) requires teachers that are dual professionals, with vocational and pedagogical expertise. Their professional development differs from that of other teachers. Several factors affect the VET teachers’ professional development, and while they are the drivers of their own growth, other actors, such as managers of education institutions shape such growth.

This paper focuses on the role of managers in the professional development of VET teachers in a state-funded post-compulsory education institution in Malta. A qualitative research approach, based on Grounded Theory, uncovers the extent of managerial involvement and influence. Primary data are collected from four interviews with experienced managers in VET.

The paper reveals that while acknowledging that they can do more, managers are contributing to professional growth by supporting, empowering, and motivating teachers, and by facilitating engagement with professional development.