Open and Distance Learning for Teachers' Professional Development: The English in Action (EIA) Model for the Global South

This chapter suggests that teachers’ professional development is going through a major transformation. For most countries in the Global South there is an acknowledgment that the quality of teacher education and the extent of the provision of training will need to be increased. By utilising new interactive forms of technology, open and distance learning has a great role to play in the process of teachers’ professional development. The school is increasingly seen as a place for learning within new models of teacher training programmes. In this era of increased mobile technology, all forms of teacher education programmes are exploring the possibilities of using technology in their contexts. Therefore the chapter, based on the pre-pilot study of the English in Action (EIA) Model, is suggesting that open and distance learning through the use of emerging technology is going to be a major contibution for teachers’ professional development to meet the crisis of inadequate qualified teacher supply in the Global South.