Tecrübeli İngilizce öğretmenlerinin profesyonel gelişim faaliyetlerine katılıp katılmama kararlarını etkileyen kişisel etmenler

Personal factors affecting experienced English state school teachers' decision whether or not to participate in professional development activities.The purpose of this study was to investigate personal factors affectingexperienced English teachers? decision to engage or not to engage in ProfessionalDevelopment (PD) activities.The participants were six experienced English teachers working at differentstate primary and secondary schools in two big cities in Turkey during the springterm of the 2010-2011 academic year.Fifty-two teachers were asked to fill in a questionnaire which included somedemographic questions. According to the data gathered from the questionnaires, sixexperienced teachers were selected based on their years of experience and social andeducational backgrounds. Every effort was made to secure variety in the finalsample. The six teachers were interviewed three times at different time intervals. Theaim of the interviews was to get detailed information about their perceptions andattitudes towards PD activities, as well as their reasons for engaging or not engagingin such activities.The analysis of the data revealed that the experienced English teachers?participation in PD is negatively affected by the effect of frequent changes in theeducational system, the teaching environment and the lack of feeling of well-being.Yet, in spite of these negative factors, some teachers are willing to take part in PDactivities because of being intrinsically motivated and committed to their profession.The findings of the study might benefit the administrations as they provide anopportunity to better understand the reasons for teachers? unwillingness to participatein PD activities. This will hopefully lead to some actions that will help overcome thisnegative attitude.Key words: Experienced teacher, professional development, professionaldevelopment activities, state primary and secondary schools.