Exploring self-directed professional development: A study of private school EFL teachers in the Indonesian context

Abstract

This qualitative case study explores how private school EFL teachers engage in self-directed professional development and the factors that motivate and demotivate this process. Three EFL private school teachers served as the participants. The study, however, employs both open- and closed-ended questionnaires and interviews subsequently. The data are analyzed using a professional development framework. The findings show that activities most teachers agree on in terms of self-directed professional development are reflective practice and attending workshops or conferences. It was also revealed that most participants chose professionalism as the main reason for engaging in professional development activities. However, an interview with one of the participants reveals that although external conditions may initially trigger professional development, they may later become internalized, leading to autonomous engagement in such activities. The questionnaire also indicates that although many factors may demotivate teachers from pursuing professional development, they may still engage in different activities to support their growth. These two conditions may support what is known as relatedness, one of the factors contributing to the internalization of extrinsic motivation.