Shape up or ship out? A Comprehensive Literature Review on Teachers' Beliefs, Attitudes, and Experiences with Continuing Professional Development
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46328/ijonse.7574Keywords:
Professional Development, Teacher motivation, Adult learning, Teacher attitudes, Teacher experiencesAbstract
Teachers' engagement in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is critical for enhancing educational quality, yet participation varies significantly. This comprehensive literature review synthesizes research to identify the key factors that facilitate or hinder teachers' involvement in professional growth. Drawing upon foundational adult learning theories such as Andragogy, Social Cognitive Theory, and Experiential Learning, this review analyzes empirical studies from diverse international contexts. The findings reveal that teacher engagement is determined by a complex interplay of internal and external factors. Key personal facilitators include strong intrinsic motivation, high self-efficacy, and a belief in the practical, classroom-level applicability of the training. Externally, a supportive school culture, characterized by collaborative peer relationships, accessible resources, and strong administrative leadership, is essential. Conversely, significant barriers include irrelevant program content, excessive workloads, lack of time, and insufficient institutional support. Ultimately, this review confirms that for CPD to be effective, it must be designed with a deep understanding of the adult learner - making it relevant, collaborative, and empowering. Future research should incorporate administrative and student perspectives to build a more holistic understanding of how to best support teacher development.
References
Adult learning theory - Occupational Therapy Practice Education Collaborative - Queensland - University of Queensland. (2017). Occupational Therapy Practice Education Collaborative - Queensland. Retrieved February 4, 2026, from https://otpecq.group.uq.edu.au/resources-publications/clinical-educators-resource-kit/approaches-clinical-education/adult-learning-theory
Ajani, O. A. (2022). Exploring the Teacher Professional Development Activities: Perspectives of Nigerian High School Teachers. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 21(6), 34-49. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.21.6.3
Beach, P. (2017). Self-directed online learning: A theoretical model for understanding elementary teachers' online learning experiences. Teaching and Teacher Education, 61, 60-72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2016.10.007
Coldwell, M. (2017). Exploring the influence of professional development on teacher careers: A path model approach. Teaching and Teacher Education, 61, 189-198. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2016.10.015
Colman, H. (2023, August 12). What is adult learning theory and how to use it in corporate learning. Explore the elearning world with us. https://www.ispringsolutions.com/blog/adult-learning-theories.
Dayagbil, F., & Alda, R. (2024). Continuing professional development opportunities: Teachers’ motivation and perceived effectiveness. International Journal of Education and Practice, 12(3), 584-595.
de Vries, S., van de Grift, W. J., & Jansen, E. P. W. A. (2013). Teachers’ beliefs and continuing professional development. Journal of Educational Administration, 51(2), 213–231. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578231311304715
Dinata, U., Bukhori, M., Nur’Afif, S., & Atmaja, B. (2022). Exploring Teacher Professional Development’s Perceptions of English Secondary School Teachers. Proceedings Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta Undergraduate Conference, 2(1), 58-65. https://prosiding.umy.ac.id/grace/index.php/pgrace/issue/view/7
Driscoll, M. P. (2014). Psychology of Learning for Instruction. Pearson Education.
Ehlert, M., & Souvignier, E. (2023). Effective professional development in implementation processes – the teachers’ view. Teaching and Teacher Education, 134(4), 104329. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.104329
Ehlert, M., & Souvignier, E. (2024). Mind the Gap: How Teachers’ Professional Development Preferences Relate to Scientific Recommendations. SAGE Open, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241276172
Gagné, R. M. (1970). The Conditions of Learning. Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Garet, M. S., Porter, A. C., Yoon, K. S., Birman, B. F., & Desimone, L. (2001). What Makes Professional Development Effective? Results From a National Sample of Teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 915–945. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312038004915
Hürsen, Ç. (2012). Determine the attitudes of teachers towards professional development activities. Procedia Technology, 1, 420 – 425. doi: 10.1016/j.protcy.2012.02.094
Irgatoğlu, A. (2021). Exploring The Relationship between Professional Development Attitudes, Activities and Self-Directed Learning Readiness of EFL Instructors. International Journal of Progressive Education, 17(4). DOI: 10.29329/ijpe.2021.366.8
Jaldemark, J., Lindqvist, M. H., & Mozelius, P. (2019). Teachers’ Beliefs About Professional Development: Supporting Emerging Networked Practices in Higher Education. In A. Littlejohn, J. Jaldemark, E. Vrieling-Teunter, & F. Nijland (Eds.), Networked Professional Learning: Emerging and Equitable Discourses for Professional Development. Springer International Publishing.
Loeng, S. (2020). Self-Directed Learning: A Core Concept in Adult Education. Education Research International. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/3816132
Lopes, J. B., & Cunha, A. E. (2017). Self-directed professional development to improve effective teaching: Key points for a model. Teaching and Teacher Education, 68, 262-274. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.09.009
Louws, M. L., Meirink, J. A., van Veen, K., & van Driel, J. H. (2017). Teachers' self-directed learning and teaching experience: What, how, and why teachers want to learn. Teaching and Teacher Education, 66, 171-183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.04.004
Maslow, A. H. (1987). Motivation and personality. Longman.
McLeod, S. (2025, March 19). Kolb's Learning Styles & Experiential Learning Cycle. Simply Psychology. Retrieved February 4, 2026, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html
McMillan, D. J., McConnell, B., & O’Sullivan, H. (2016). Continuing professional development – why bother? Perceptions and motivations of teachers in Ireland. Professional Development in Education, 42(1), 150-167. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2014.952044
Merriam, S. B., Bierema, L. L., & Bierema, L. L. (2013). Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice. Wiley.
Nickerson, C. (2025, March 31). Albert Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory. Simply Psychology. Retrieved March 8, 2026, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/social-cognitive-theory.html
Ouchaib, I. (2024). Assessing the Responsiveness of Moulay Ismail University to Teachers' Continuous Professional Development Needs: A Mixed-Methods Analysis. Studies in Humanities and Education, 5(2), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.48185/she.v5i2.1338
Power, K., & Goodnough, K. (2019). Fostering teachers’ autonomous motivation during professional learning: a self-determination theory perspective. Teaching Education, 30(3), 27823–298. https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210.2018.1465035
Prenger, R., Poortman, C. L., & Handelzalts, A. (2017). Factors influencing teachers’ professional development in networked professional learning communities. Teaching and Teacher Education, 68, 77-90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.08.014
Rogers, C. R., & Freiberg, H. J. (1994). Freedom to learn. Merrill.
Torff, B., & Sessions, D. (2008). Factors Associated with Teachers’ Attitudes about Professional Development. Teacher Education Quarterly, 35, 123-133.
Zhang, X., Admiraal, W., & Saab, N. (2022). Teacher autonomous motivation for continuous professional development: the relationship with perceived workplace conditions. Teachers and Teaching, 28(8), 909–924. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2022.2137128
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal on Studies in Education
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Articles may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Authors alone are responsible for the contents of their articles. The journal owns the copyright of the articles. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of the research material.
The author(s) of a manuscript agree that if the manuscript is accepted for publication in the International Journal on Studies in Education (IJonSE), the published article will be copyrighted using a Creative Commons “Attribution 4.0 International” license. This license allows others to freely copy, distribute, and display the copyrighted work, and derivative works based upon it, under certain specified conditions.
Authors are responsible for obtaining written permission to include any images or artwork for which they do not hold copyright in their articles, or to adapt any such images or artwork for inclusion in their articles. The copyright holder must be made explicitly aware that the image(s) or artwork will be made freely available online as part of the article under a Creative Commons “Attribution 4.0 International” license.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
