Academic Centre
The goal of the project No VPP-IZM-Izglītība-2023/4-0001 is to elaborate an evidence-based framework and practical solutions for effective professional development of adults, including teachers, and the transfer of its results into practice, offering tools for assessing the impact of professional development on practice in Latvia.
The research questions leading the inquiry are as follows: What does effective professional competence development for adults, including teachers, mean and how is it implemented in Latvia? What is the most appropriate framework for ensuring effective professional competence development of adults, including teachers, at organisational and system levels in the private and public sectors in Latvia? How to evaluate the effectiveness of the transfer of the results of professional competence development of adults, including teachers, to practise at an organisational and system level in Latvia?
Implementing a design-based research approach, it is intended to carry out a systemic study of the transfer of professional competence development of adults, including teachers, into practice, its main obstacles and tools for measuring effectiveness, analysing theoretical knowledge and international experience in coherence of the context and needs of Latvia. The impact of the results of current professional competence development of adults, including teachers, on practice in Latvia will be analysed, considering the context of existing policy priorities and ongoing reforms. Several phases of work are envisaged, corresponding to five work packages (WP): WP1 - A theoretical concept and international good practice of adults' effective professional development (AEPD) (January-July 2024); WP2 - Evaluation of the current situation of AEPD in Latvia (August 2024 - April 2025); WP3 - Elaboration and approbation of the framework of AEPD within the Latvia’s context (April-December 2025); WP4 - Elaboration and approbation of practical solutions for assessing the effectiveness of AEPD results on practice in Latvia (January-December 2026); WP5 - Science and popular science communication for dissemination of research results (January 2024 – December 2026).
An evidence-based framework for effective professional competence development of adults, including teachers, and for the transfer of its results into practice will be developed, offering validated practical solutions for assessing the effectiveness of the professional development in organisational and system levels in accordance with the Latvian context and current educational policy goals.
The results of the research will be presented in at least five international scientific conferences. It is envisaged that within the project four articles will be submitted or accepted for publication and three articles will be published in Web of Science or Scopus indexed journals and proceedings. It is planned that by the end of the project, two Master's theses will be defended and one PhD thesis will be submitted for defence. Two conferences will be organized on the results of the project in the middle and at the end of the project. Regular press releases, social media publications and popular scientific articles will be used to inform the society about the progress of the project and the results achieved.
The results of the research will contribute to evidence-based decision-making on promoting the effectiveness of professional development of adults, including teachers, and the achievement of strategic education development objectives, as well as it will generate new knowledge and practical solutions at educational institution, local and national levels.
Project's No: VPP-IZM-Izglītība-2023/4-0001
Project's duration: December 22, 2023 – December 21, 2026
Project's total budget: 730 000 EUR
Project's partners: University of Latvia (UL), Liepaja University (LiepU), Ventspils University of Applied Sciences (VUAS).
Project's scientific manager: UL FESP SIP leading researcher Svetlana Surikova.
Project's administrative manager: Laureta Buševica.
Scientific group: Dr. paed. Svetlana Surikova (UL), Dr. paed. Sanita Baranova (UL), Dr. paed. Gunta Siliņa-Jasjukeviča (UL), Dr. paed. Dita Nīmante (UL), Dr. psych. Aleksandrs Koļesovs (UL), Dr. paed. Maija Kokare (UL), PhD Dzintra Iliško (UL), MA student Inga Grigaļuna (UL), MA student Maija Vilnīte (ULU), Dr. sc. administr. Inese Lūsēna-Ezera (LiepU), Dr. sc. administr. Una Libkovska (VUAS), Dr. sc. administr. Liene Resele (VUAS), Mg. sc. comp. Karina Šķirmante (VUAS), PhD student Kate Zonberga (VUAS), PhD student Zane Zonberga (VUAS).
. The overarching objective of the SRP “Education” is to contribute to evidence-based decision-making on the development of the education system and the achievement of strategic education development objectives, as well as to generate new knowledge and practical solutions at educational institution, local and national levels. One of the objectives of the SRP “Education” is to provide effective for adults, including teachers, and to transfer the results of professional development into practice. The tasks of achieving the objective are to assess the impact of professional competence development on practice by collecting examples of good practice and assessing key barriers, and to develop models (solutions) for effective professional competence development at an organisational and system level for the target group of adults and for the target group of teachers, including the identification of specific instruments, processes and indicators to measure the effectiveness of professional competence development.){kind=link}