Research Article

Effectiveness of In-Service Elementary School Teacher Professional Development MOOC: An Experimental Research

Eirini Tzovla 1 * , Katerina Kedraka 1 , Thanassis Karalis 2 , Marina Kougiourouki 3 , Konstantinos Lavidas 2
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1 Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Evros, Greece2 Department of Educational Sciences & Early Childhood Education, University of Patras, Achaia, Greece3 Department of Primary Education, Democritus University of Thrace, Evros, Greece* Corresponding Author
Contemporary Educational Technology, 13(4), October 2021, ep324, https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/11144
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ABSTRACT

Teachers’ Professional Development Massive Open Online Courses (TPD-MOOCs) are a new form of MOOCs and have influenced an intense research interest. This study reports on the design and implementation of a TPD-MOOC which utilizes digital educational content and Open Educational Recourses (OER) and supports in-service elementary school teachers to enhance their self-efficacy beliefs. In the design framework we take into consideration the findings of previous research and the educational needs of the participants. We conducted an experimental design research and compared the teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs before and after their participation in a TPD-MOOC. A total of 251 teachers enrolled in this course and 142 of them completed it. We used quantitative data to measure the enhancement of teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs and the effectiveness of the course. The results provide evidence that our TPD-MOOC improved in service elementary school teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs in teaching biological concepts. Recommendations are made for future research.
Keywords: teacher professional development, MOOC, self-efficacy beliefs, elementary education, improving classroom teaching

CITATION (APA)

Tzovla, E., Kedraka, K., Karalis, T., Kougiourouki, M., & Lavidas, K. (2021). Effectiveness of In-Service Elementary School Teacher Professional Development MOOC: An Experimental Research. Contemporary Educational Technology, 13(4), ep324. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/11144

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