Page 24 - IJSA, Vol. 7, No 1, 2024
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International Journal of Science Annals, Vol. 7, No. 1, 2024
рrint ISSN: 2617-2682; online ISSN: 2707-3637; DOI:10.26697/ijsa
Discussion maximizing the benefits of the system and significantly
After meticulously tracing the CPD journey of teachers deepening their understanding and honing their skills in
in both WhatsApp groups created by the British Embassy the target areas.
in Egypt – the organization overseeing the CPD initiative Another noteworthy implication is the cross-cultural
– and thoroughly reviewing their regular pedagogical exchange among instructors in these regular online
activities in these online spaces, a scalable, intensive, meetings. Each member can present their unique
cost-effective, and practical system was developed for perspective on a particular point, and the aggregation of
future replication (Figure 2). these reflections can provide an all-encompassing picture
The organization oversees the entire CPD process across of the discussed concept or demonstrate the various ways
various spaces, continuously inviting potential members a technique can be deployed. This exchange can greatly
to join the WhatsApp groups primarily via email, expand instructors’ horizons and enrich their teaching
resulting in an ever-growing population benefiting from practices cross-culturally.
these e-trainings. This scalability enables the system to
train a massive number of instructors. Furthermore, the Conclusions
communication platforms, specifically WhatsApp groups This research aims to outline the CPD journey by
in this case, serve as venues for conducting CPD analyzing metrics such as materials used, frequency of
meetings with different members in closed groups. These virtual meetings, expansion of participant groups.
meetings can occur several times a month, in this Through this process, a blended, cost-effective, and
instance, six times, highlighting their cost-effectiveness scalable CPD system has been uncovered that has the
compared to regular face-to-face CPD workshops. potential to revolutionize this arena. This system can
Additionally, the WhatsApp groups are utilized to post train instructors and educators globally on a regular basis,
announcements regarding virtual seminars conducted on keeping them updated with the latest trends in (e)-
external platforms like Zoom. These platforms serve not education. Such optimization and maximization can
only for seminar attendance but also for post-seminar significantly enhance both the teachers’ teaching journey
discussions, where participants can share their thoughts and the learners’ educational endeavors.
and provide feedback about the CPD presentations. This With an automated archival system, all CPD-centered
aligns with Niess’s (2011) findings, which emphasize discussions can be traced and accessed by any member at
that the success of CPD programs depends not solely on any time. This allows for revisiting prior trainings and
attendance but also on the post-PD support teachers assessing stored multimedia-based data to improve the
receive. Within this community, professional system overall. Moreover, these remote CPD trainings
relationships can be cultivated, and instructors can seek can be accredited, offering certificates to instructors each
assistance when needed. time they participate in these professional seminars,
CPD-driven and social media-based systems have the complemented by the wide spectrum of resources
potential to alleviate the burden of time and temporal available on the official website of the organization.
limitations (Cook et al., 2017; Trust et al., 2016) that Such a comprehensive CPD system holds the promise to
traditional CPD formats impose. By removing these upgrade teachers’ skills worldwide and advance the
constraints, online CPD-centric systems offer more teaching profession overall. This sustainable e-system
intensive training to instructors, as research indicates that can be leveraged by educators, stakeholders, and policy
single-session workshops are unlikely to significantly researchers seeking to replicate such models in their
improve teachers’ practices (Darling-Hammond, 2017). respective educational institutions. CPD for teachers will
Once a social media CPD-centered meeting takes place, always remain at the forefront of their responsibilities
it is automatically archived, allowing any member to and those of their stakeholders because their excellence
review the content at any time or retrieve shared lies in continuous growth and improvement.
pedagogical materials. This digital repository facilitates
revisiting past meetings, seeking help from other Ethical Approval
members, and evaluating CPD programs to potentially The study protocol was consistent with the ethical
improve design and delivery (Nicolaidou & Petridou, guidelines of the 1975 Declaration of Helsinki.
2011).
Active participants in these e-sessions can receive Funding Source
certificates, aiding in career advancement. Resource This research did not receive any outside funding or
sharing is central to this CPD-focused exchange, with the support.
official British Embassy website housing countless
resources for instructors to utilize. Accredited courses are References
also available for participation. This CPD-focused Acuyo, A. (2021). Reviewing the literature on
ecosystem is optimized through the linkage of all these professional development for higher education
elements, multiplying training opportunities across all tutors in the work-from-home era: Is it time to
fronts. reconsider the integration of social media?
One direct implication of this CPD system is its global Education and Information Technologies, 27(1),
reach. With such e-modes of CPD training, the audience 89–113. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10603-2
continually increases, especially if a referral system is Adi Badiozaman, I. F., Segar, A. R., & Iah, D. (2022).
implemented where any member can add others, Examining faculty’s online teaching competence
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