What do we know about teacher learning?  

What do teacher educators need to understand about how teachers learn, and what does research tell us about this process? What practical examples exist across Europe where insights on teacher learning have been translated into effective teacher training programs? These key questions were explored during the European Schoolnet Academy Thematic Seminar, where researchers, policymakers, and practitioners came together to discuss how we can better support teacher learning.   

This blog post aims to highlight the key insights from the seminar, offering educators and policymakers research-based strategies to enhance teacher professional development.  

Teachers as individual learners: the challenge of addressing unique starting points in teacher education  

One of the key takeaways from the seminar was the recognition that every teacher is an individual learner with unique starting points. Teachers do not begin their professional development from the same place; their backgrounds, beliefs, and school-context play a crucial role in shaping their learning. Emotional and motivational components also significantly shape a teacher’s learning journey. Accordingly, professional development must consider teachers’ personal beliefs, goals and teaching contexts. A one-size-fits-all approach is inadequate.  

“I think it is our responsibility as teacher educators to have a much deeper understanding of the complexity of our learners.”   – Kay Livingston, Professor of Educational Research, Policy, and Practice, School of Education, University of Glasgow  

As teacher educators we need to provide personalised, meaningful opportunities that address the multitude of contextual factors that teachers bring to professional development activities.   

Beyond content delivery: fostering agency, competences, and self-regulated learning  

The seminar also highlighted that effective teacher education should focus on sustaining learning over time.  

“Teachers must believe they have the agency to drive their own growth. Too often, professional development is treated as a project or activity when, in reality, it should be about their continuous development. It’s not just about the design of the programme or activity, but about empowering teachers with the confidence, self-efficacy, and agency to sustain their learning after the activity ends.”  
– Kay Livingston, Professor of Educational Research, Policy, and Practice, School of Education, University of Glasgow  

A shift from content delivery to competency development is essential for equipping teachers with the skills they need to become professional learners.   

In particular, self-regulated learning plays a critical role in professional development. Research presented at the seminar underscored the importance of modelling self-regulated learning in training programs.  

“Teachers with higher levels of self-regulated learning skills benefit more from professional development opportunities. This highlights the importance of modelling self-regulated learning within our own training programs.”  
– Kairit Tammets, Professor, Tallinn University  

 Collaboration and self-reflection: key drivers of teacher growth  

Teacher learning thrives in collaborative and reflective environments. Structured opportunities for teachers to work together and reflect on their practice can lead to transformative professional growth. During the seminar two specific approaches to facilitating teacher learning through collaboration and reflection were introduced: teacher design teams and digital portfolios.   

“The teacher design teams offer a way for teachers to articulate their professional development needs and work collaboratively to improve their practice. Through the design process, teachers become active participants in their own professional development, producing final prototypes or products that reflect their learning.”  
– Jo Tondeur, Professor, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium  

“The digital portfolio is not just a tool for documenting their progress but also a tool to plan for a personalised and professional growth journey together with their colleagues and their school community.”  

– Maria Chiara Pettenati, Research Director at Indire (National Institute for Documentation, Innovation, and Educational Research), Italy  

By engaging in professional learning communities and reflective dialogues facilitated by practices like teacher design teams and digital portfolios, teachers not only enhance their own skills but also create a culture of continuous improvement that benefits their students and colleagues alike.   

Looking ahead: watch the seminar and explore the full report  

The seminar made it clear that there is no single blueprint for effective professional development. However, research provides valuable insights into designing learning experiences that can more effectively support teacher learning.  

Missed the discussions? Watch the seminar recording (DAY 1 – DAY 2) to hear insights from leading experts.  
Want to dive deeper? Download the full report to explore how evidence-based approaches can shape more effective teacher education initiatives.  

You can also access the presentations:

• How Teachers Learn_Webinar 1 ppt_EUNA Thematic Seminar 2025
• How Teachers Learn_Webinar 2 ppt_EUNA Thematic Seminar 2025

Let’s continue the conversation—investing in teacher learning means investing in better education for all!