The ‘Continuous Improvement Learning’ Program for English Teachers:
A Case Study of a Local Government Policy
Bambang Yudi Cahyono
In the mid of 2006, my
colleagues and I were invited to be facilitators in a program called
“Continuous Improvement Learning” (the CIL program) for teachers. The program
was held in Jombang, a town in East Java, and attended by 40 junior and 35
senior high school teachers. This paper reports the implementation and the
results of the CIL program.
The CIL program was initiated
by the Institute of Education and Learning Development (Lembaga Pengembangan
Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran) of State University of Malang and conducted in
collaboration with the Regional Board of Coordination (Badan Koordinasi
Daerah) of the Regency Government of Jombang. As the name suggests, the
purpose of the CIL program was to help teachers develop their professional
duties in order to attain a point where teachers can improve their own learning
continuously.
The implementation of the CIL
program was divided into for stages. In the training and workshop stage,
teachers learned the objectives of the CIL program, the importance of
professional development, principles of action research, and various aspects of
the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC). In the real teaching stage, the teachers
applied what they had learned. In the last two weeks of their real teaching,
they were observed by facilitators in order to see how these teachers really
teach their students. In the presentation stage, the teacher were asked to
present a paper on teaching experience or classroom action research that had
been assigned earlier. Four best papers were selected for presentation. In the
final stage, conference, the teachers listened to a lecture on the importance
of “continuous improvement learning” and “teachers certification”.
Data gained from teachers
show that the CIL program seems to be a promising model to help teachers reach
the “continuous improvement learning”. The questionnaire data showed that training
and workshop materials were considered very important and helpful for teachers.
The interview data showed that the program was highly appreciated by teachers
in Jombang. Briefly stated, the CIL program reflects the success of the policy
of the local government of Jombang in adopting an in-service training program
important for professional development of teachers.
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Cahyono, B. Y. (2006,
December). The ‘continuous improvement learning’ program for English
teachers: A case study of a local government policy. Paper presented at the 54th TEFLIN
International conference,
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