Reality of Teacher Professional Development Programs in Light of Professional License Standards in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The current study examined the reality of professional development programs for teachers according to the educational professional license. The descriptive approach was used to analyze the necessary practices and standards of a professional license for education in Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was developed to identify the teachers’ opinions concerning professional development programs. The questionnaire was administered to 135 male and female teachers in Najran schools. The results showed that the professional development programs, in which the teachers participated, contributed highly to providing them with knowledge and skills. The results also indicated that the professional development programs have raised the participants’ awareness to a medium degree in three practices. In the light of the results, some recommendations were suggested.