Investigating Teachers’ Experiences of Professional Development within a Major Education Reform in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi

Abstract

This thesis reports an interpretivist, mixed-methods investigation of teachers’ experiences of professional development within a major education reform in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Drawing on data from 393 Arab and Western teachers, the study considered the factors (design, non-design-related, and cultural) that contributed to the impact of professional development in this context. The study extended existing literature by highlighting the importance of culture and context in influencing teacher professional development.