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Teacher professional learning in the context of policy implementation W. N. Msomi Department of Education University of KwaZulu-Natal Durban, South Africa e-mail: G. J. van der Westhuizen* Department of Educational Psychology e-mail: K. Steenekamp* Department of Education and Curriculum Studies e-mail: *University of Johannesburg Johannesburg, South Africa Abstract Teacher professional learning is assumed to be an ongoing priority in any education system, perhaps especially so in societies where democratic participation is to be enhanced. Such learning builds on teacher preparation programmes offered by higher education institutions (HEIs), and is encouraged for various purposes, one of which is to support the implementation of new policies. The introduction of the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) in South Africa is exemplary, and aimed at improving the equity, quality and sustainability of curriculum delivery on a national scale. The implementation of the IQMS involved the traditional cascading approach, relying upon teachers to learn, change their practices, and comply. The focus of this inquiry was into the ways in which teachers responded to the IQMS implementation demands and how they used the policy to learn and benefit from the process. The purpose was to develop an authentic and comprehensive understanding of such learning processes and how they may be sustained in order to make recommendations for future policy implementation and teacher professional learning. Data was collected by means of an action research process in a rural school in KwaZulu-Natal and analysed with grounded theory methods. These methodologies were chosen for their possibility of enabling teacher voices, a key condition for the building of democratic citizenry. Based on the findings, a Teacher Professional Learning Framework (TPLF) was developed, representing teacher learning in terms of the dimensions of preparedness, policy interpretation, collaborative learning, and policy feedback. Recommendations for policy and practice are considered. Keywords: teacher learning, sustainable learning, grounded theory analysis, policy implementation, quality management, rural schools, professional development Teacher professional learning in the context of policy implementation 799 INTRODUCTION Teachers who teach at rural schools find themselves in very challenging situations when it comes to responding to changes in policy. In the South African context, they work at schools that are under-resourced and isolated, and under conditions that make it difficult for them to participate in professional networks and use resources that are readily available in urban areas (Bloch 2010). These realities require teachers to be innovative and creative in their participation in and learning from policy implementation processes especially given the inadequacy of current approaches to staff development is schools (Sing 2011). The realities of rural schools are problematic given the need for equity and sustainable learning (Mahlomaholo 2010, 2012). Equitable education not only requires access to resources, curricula that are fair and just; they also require learning environments which are supportive of all learning needs, a minimum condition for the development of citizens in a democratic society (Mahlomaholo 2010; Waghid 2011; see also Van der Westhuizen 2012). Research into these conditions, and how teachers cope in terms of their continued professional learning, would assist in the development of teacher education programmes that are more responsive to local needs (Conco 2004). The focus of this article is on teacher professional learning in the context of the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) which was introduced in 2006. This policy is aimed at the improvement and management of quality in curriculum delivery (DoE 2006; Mji 2011). It is implemented by means of the cascading model which requires teachers to attend orientation workshops and share their learning with other teachers in their schools. This model of implementation has proven to be problematic since it is open to varied interpretations and allows for policy understandings that become diluted and limited during implementation (Bayeni 2005, 56; Bisschoff and Mathye 2009; Hoban 2002, 2). The central question here is about the ways in which teacher learning in contexts of policy implementation may best be understood. Borko (2004) confirms the understanding that teacher professional learning occurs best in practice, that is, in a classroom and school community context, through professional development courses and workshops (Mestry, Hendricks and Bisschoff 2009; see also Darling-Hammond 2009). What is problematic, however, is the use of professional development programmes that are fragmented, intellectually superficial, and do not take into account what is known about how teachers learn (Ball and Cohen 1999; Putnam and Borko 1997; Singh 2011). Such development programmes consist typically of prescribed ideas intended to shape teachers’ pedagogical practices (Olson and Craig 2001, 668). As such they have limited value since they do not always take into cognisance the need teachers have to learn by doing, reading and reflecting, as well as collaborating and sharing with other teachers (McLaughlin and Oberman 1996; Tillema and Van der Westhuizen 2006; see also Steyn 2010). The purpose of this research was to develop an understanding of the dynamics of teacher learning processes during the implementation of the IQMS in order to