SHIFTING THE FOCUS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: FROM INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS' COMPETENCES TO A SYSTEM OF CONTEXTUAL PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY

The aim of the proposed article is to compare two conceptually different views on teacher professional development: the traditional competence approach and the model of system of contextual professional activity as proposed by the researchers of cultural-historical activity theory. The competence model is aimed primarily at the all-round development of an individual, while the activity system model analyses the actual occurring professional activity in its systemic context. While the competence model helps identify the areas of professional development for an individual teacher, the activity system model lets systemic contradictions in the working practice be identified, analysed and addressed by modelling solutions. In addition, the competencies of individual teachers of an activity system (comprising the teaching-learning process in a particular school) may be considered interconnected and complementary. It is concluded that the competence approach is more suitable for teacher training and the identification of the required competence spectrum to implement a certain type of curriculum, whilst activity systems approach is suitable for planning and implementing professional development as an effort to redesign work collaboratively on a school level, focusing on the improvement of work practices according to the identified issues, constraints, contradictions and collaboration opportunities.