The Impact of Academic Optimism, Institutional Policy and Support, and Self-Efficacy on University Instructors’ Continuous Professional Development in Mainland China

Abstract

The implementation of China’s Education Modernization Plan 2035 has signified the Chinese government’s commitment to advancing the quality of education. Recent studies have shown that the prioritization of instructor continuous professional development (CPD) through the Ministry of Education mandates has positively affected talent development and student achievement at the K12 level; however, examination of the reform’s impact on Chinese higher education is limited. This paper explored the effect academic optimism, institutional policy and support, and instructor self-efficacy had on instructors’ CPD within Chinese higher education institutions. This study collected data from 456 Chinese higher education instructors, employing a structural equation model to examine the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. Findings indicate academic optimism and institutional policy and support have a significant positive effect on CPD, β = .645 and .2, respectively, while instructor self-efficacy has nearly no effect on CPD, β = −.031. Institutional policy and support have a significant, influential effect on academic optimism, β = .652; however, there is nearly zero impact on instructor self-efficacy, β = .032. The implications of the findings indicate that institutional leadership is crucial in developing an academic culture that promotes and supports continuous professional development; however, individual drive to pursue CPD is limited.

A Model of Lecturers Professional Development in Business School of Research Universities in the 21st Century

“…Numerous universities across the globe have implemented institutional structures that enforce instructor involvement through various means. The fulfillment of specific criteria often determines contract extensions or advancements in academic ranks [48].…”

“…Lecturers and universities possess distinct objectives concerning professional development. Lecturers prioritize development initiatives that contribute to research, whereas the university emphasizes enhancing classroom teaching quality and student achievement [48]. The competency and self-efficacy of lecturers play a crucial role in professional development within contemporary society.…”

“…Bandura [4] studied that this task-specific belief governs decision-making, exertion, and perseverance in the presence of obstacles. The self-efficacy among lecturers is greatly impacted by the recognition they receive from students and colleagues, the formal education they obtain during their university studies, and their experiences within the academic institution [48]. Alhassan [2] asserts that research conducted on the enhancement of lecturers' skills in higher education has uncovered a multitude of advantages stemming from the correlation between professional development, positive self-efficacy, and the overall advancement and achievement of educators.…”

“…According to El [18], lecturers' endeavor to acquire and apply novel knowledge and skills to enhance their effectiveness in teaching. The competence and self-efficacy of lecturers are pivotal factors in the professional development of contemporary society [2,40,48]. Gong et al [20] demonstrate that lecturers frequently articulate a demand for professional development in research, encompassing the acquisition of knowledge regarding scholarly endeavors.…”

Teacher Agency and Continuing Professional Development in Chinese Universities

“…Particularly, top-down policies intensify these challenges by disproportionately focusing on classroom teaching at the expense of teachers' individual continuous professional development. Furthermore, since there is very limited research on CPD in the context of higher education in China (Scott et al, 2023), the effectiveness of CPD is still questionable (Sims & Fletcher-Wood, 2021).…”