Insights into the Processes and Practices Novice Professors Use to Continually Develop Their Pedagogical Skills

This qualitative case study explored the processes and practices three novice professors used to develop their pedagogical skills after attending formal professional development activities or programs. Data for the study included transcriptions of two interviews, pedagogical artifacts, and field notes of classroom observations. The data set was analyzed using a combination of systematic coding, thematic analysis, and the development of grounded theory.;The study found that participants instinctively developed their pedagogical skills by engaging in a learning cycle that involved preparing to teach, teaching, reflecting on their teaching experiences, developing new pedagogical strategies that enhanced their instructional practice, and implementing new pedagogical strategies in subsequent teaching experiences. Overall, the participants identified that incidental learning opportunities were most influential in developing their pedagogical skills. Implications for theory, practice, and research are presented.