Teacher professional development: Catalysts and barriers in teaching careers in Chile

In different countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the professional development of teachers, especially initial and continuing training, has been considered relevant for the educational improvement. In Chile, the teacher professional development system is incorporated within the teaching career, associating economic recognition with the outcome and performance of the teachers. This system, based on an accountability model, does not consider teachers' trajectories as situated and collective learning. The objective of this investigation is to describe and analyse catalysts and barriers in the professional development of teachers within in the context of a high stakes' accountability model. A qualitative study was conducted, in which 30 teachers were interviewed from a narrative approach. The content analysis identified catalysts as the possibility to reflect on their own practice and be recognized through economic incentives. The barriers identified related to limited validation and decontextualition of teacher evaluation, and teachers questioned punitive consequences and the lack of a training approach. These results show a need for professional valorization and structural change for continuous improvement outweighs issues of compensation.