METHODOLOGIST PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. This section presents findings related to methodologists’ continuous professional development. Methodologists were asked about the types of training activities that they attended during the 2020/2021 school year and who organized those trainings. They were also asked about the topics covered in their last training activity, their perceptions of the value of that training, and obstacles to their professional development generally. Training Activities that Methodologists Participated in During the 2020/2021 School Year Figure 35 shows the training activities that methodologists reported participating in, despite COVID-19, since the start of the current school year (September 2020–May 2021). The most-frequently cited activities were virtual training sessions delivered by methodologists for methodologists, which was mentioned by 60% of methodologists, followed by online courses (45%) and in-person or virtual conferences (42%). The least-mentioned activities were in- person or virtual training sessions with external trainers (29%). Online courses Conferences (either in person or virtual) 42 Workshops outside of school or the education office (either in person or virtual) Training sessions with an external trainer (either in person or virtual) Regular (scheduled and at least once a month) discussions with other methodologists (either in… 37 Training sessions from methodologists for methodologists (either in-person or as virtual) 63 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Percentage of methodologists Methodologist responses Figure 35. Training Activities that Methodologist Respondents Attended During the 2020/2021 School Year Methodologists who reported that they attended training were asked how often they attended training activities in the current school year. As shown in Figure 36, a third (34%) reported attending training every month, and a quarter (25%) stated that they attended training every few months. A smaller percentage of methodologists attended training every few weeks (14%), every week (12%), every few days (12%), or every day (2%). Two percent of the respondents reported that they never attended training. Methodologists who attended training were also asked whether the training they attended was mandatory or not. The majority (74%) stated that the training was not mandatory (Figure 36).
METHODOLOGIST PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. The most-cited training activity that methodologists reported participating in since the start of the 2020/2021 school year, despite COVID-19, was virtual training sessions delivered by methodologists for methodologists, as indicated by 60% of methodologist respondents. This was followed by online courses and in-person or virtual conferences. These results could reflect adaptations necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which limited in-person interactions. A large proportion of methodologists reported that the last training activity for methodologists in their region or district was organized by the regional/district methodologists. The most- frequently mentioned topics covered during the most recent methodologist training activity were using technology in teaching and how to teach or pedagogy, both of which were mentioned by almost half of the methodologist respondents. Most reported that the training was very valuable, indicating that they learned new strategies that they now use in their work on a daily basis or at least once a week and implying that the training was largely effective. The main barrier to methodologists’ professional development was lack of personal financial resources, followed by lack of incentives to engage in professional development activities and lack of access to internet.
