Professional learning in Flemish Secondary Education: contemporary needs, preferences and organising strategies

Samenvatting

Although school leadership is considered a key variable in school success and student performance, principals’ continuous professional learning (CPL) has only received limited attention from Flemish policymakers. This study maps secondary school principals’ current content-wise CPL needs, methodwise preferences and reasons not attend formally organised CPL. In connecting these elements, we derive strategies to organise future professional development efforts. In a survey, 366 Flemish secondary school leaders reported on their CPL habits, needs and preferences. Through semi-structured interviews, an additional 24 principals discussed why certain types of CPL appealed more to them than others. Flemish secondary school leaders express a need for authentic and practical learning experiences, preferably through networked or collective learning designs and mainly in relation to personnel and instruction-oriented topics. Given the exploratory nature of this study, it remains to be confirmed, however, whether the preferred CPL methods prove a worthwhile investment of time and resources. Can those contribute to the needs perceived?