An Overview of Teacher Professional Development in an International Perspective

The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the most recent progress in professional development of teachers in western countries.It portrays the key role of teacher professional development in school reform and describes the influence of policy environment on teachers' development.It also explores the nature and practice of teacher professional development by reviewing its definition,purpose and function,affecting factors,and its implementation and evaluation.It points out that teachers' learning and learning communities has become a focal research point.It presents the impacts of wider contextual factors,such as the state and the market,on teacher professional development and identify the needs for further theoretical and professional explorations.