Teachers' Informal Learning Research Based On Teacher Professional Development

Teacher learning is the basis and precondition of teacher professional development. In order to be expert in teaching, a teacher is supposed to widen his professional outlook, enhance his professional capability, by nonstop learning and studying, and then he will be able to reach efficient profession. Ever since a long time ago, teachers in our country promote their professional ability mainly by means of formal training, which decides its approach and form in consideration of the need by educational departments and of the school development. This type of learning often leads teachers' learning to "learning for diplomat" that is both passive and purpose-oriented. Plus it goes far away from teaching practice, which may fail to bring teachers' learning initiative and active into full play. Thus the good effects formal training has on teacher professional development have long been doubted. The features of teaching career rule that most of the teacher learning cannot keep away from teaching practice in the form of formal training. While the informal learning based on working places bearing the feature of "Learning amid Practicing" can meet the need of teacher professional development on a daily working basis. In addition, that most of teacher's practice knowledge is tacit knowledge even decides teachers should learn to strengthen interactivities and exchanges with their colleagues, and actively promote their professional skills through informal learning such as observing, imitating, inquiring etc.This report studies the current situation of teacher learning and the effects it has on professional development in seven primary and secondary schools of Changzhutan region of Hunan province, which is based theoretically on situated learning, implicit learning, tacit knowledge and adult learning by way of questionnaire inquisition and interview. It reveals the main factors that impact informal teacher learning include teachers' culture, learning environment, school system culture, viewpoint of teachers' learning and teachers' personality. Then by the results of document analysis, interview and questionnaire inquisition, it offers five coping strategies to better informal teacher learning: to structure cooperative teachers' culture, to improve informal teaching learning environment, to restructure school system culture, to promote teachers' learning capability and to upgrade the personal charm of teacher career.