In-service teacher training in the use of new curricular materials: the particular case of East Timor

Abstract

In any context of curricular reform, the effectiveness of whatever new teaching materials are available depends on the ability of the teacher to use them as intended. Thus, many studies emphasize the continuous training of teachers as a decisive factor for the appropriate use of these materials. East Timor is no exception in this respect, and in the scope of the recent secondary school reforms, developed through international cooperation with Portuguese institutions, new educational resources have been produced and, simultaneously, continuous training of Timorese teachers by a group of Portuguese trainers has started to be implemented, focused on the resources developed. By analyzing the literature related to in-service teacher training in contexts of curricular innovation, this work 1) explores the interrelations between the continuous training of teachers and the development of necessary competences for the use of new educational resources; 2) presents a data collection instrument applied to Portuguese trainers to find out what kind of teaching is promoted among Timorese teachers and how they are using the new educational resources; and finally 3) presents some considerations about the required adjustment of the data collection instrument to the Timorese reality.