JURNAL PENYELIDIKAN 2017

The Excellent Teacher Educator Professional Journey Jurnal Penyelidikan Jilid 17

experimental cognitive approach. The articles he reviews also showed that the current studies
on expert development using cognitive approach were still on the move and not conclusive.

One of Erickson’s critics, Wai, J. (2014) debated that Erickson appears unable to go
beyond his own framework and definitions to incorporate the approaches of others as well
as the full network of evidence surrounding the development of expertise. Wai, J. (2014)
deliberates further on a handful of general themes: 1. The strengths of prospective and
retrospective longitudinal data, 2. Disentangling cognitive ability and educational supports, 3.
Ability matters for expertise, 4. Broadening what it means to be an expert, and 5. In science,
no specific theory or approach is special.

Another approach to research on expertise, which includes comparing expert
and novice performance, also has important effect on advancing of learning. This study of
expertise leads to valuable findings into the attributes of experts’ thinking, problem solving, and
conclusively illustrates the execution of successful learning. This area of research was mainly
concentrated on the expertise and how these special people differ from novices (Che

Most studies on teacher educators, data were collected on novice and expert
separately to mark challenges of the new educators facing establishment in their professional
identities (Murray & Male, 2005; Wright & Viczko, 2008) and the role of teacher educators
(Willemse, et. al., 2005; Loughran & Berry, 2005; Cochran-Smith, 2005; Bullough Jr., 2005).
On the other hand, most studies on expert development, applied experimental approach in
cognitive psychology was lead by Ericsson, K. et al. (1987) and comparing skills of novice
to expert lead by Berliner (1988)It was important to explore this CPE over a time scale as
this area was not much explored using such approach. This “over time” approach may help
novices to learn the experts’ CPE journey, but knowledge and expertise acquired by the experts
were tacit in nature and difficult to share (Shim, 2008; Nash & Collins, 2006). To access this,
experts need to make their expertise explicit (Roth, 2008). That was why exploring the teacher
educators’ journey or history along their CPE was the coverage of this study. Furthermore,
there was not much of such study on expert teacher educator working at the ITEM.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. How do teacher educators become experts in their CPE journey?
2. How do teacher educators acquire their professional characteristics in their journey

to become expert?

METHODOLOGY

Seven excellent teacher educators from four Institutes of Teacher Education Campus were
interviewed in this study. In depth semi structured interview were carried out at the excellent
teacher educators’ workplace. Research participants were chosen among excellent teacher
educators from grade DG52, DG54, Special Grade C and Special Grade B B. They were with
at least 25 years of experience, are well known for their expertise and this was confirmed by
at least three of their colleagues, their directors and head of departments.

Audio interview data were transcribed and the professional journey was organized
in the form of vignettes to illustrate the progress of a teacher educator from starting out as a

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Jurnal Penyelidikan Jilid 17 The Excellent Teacher Educator Professional Journey

graduate teacher to becoming the excellent teacher educator. Vignettes later were presented
in matric which enables the researcher to explore the similarities and differences in the teacher
educator career development.

This paper concentrate on the analysis and findings based on the matric. Throughout
this analysis, researcher kept memos to report researcher‘s ideas occurring throughout
analysis. This is to stay current with insights and hunches, and anticipated relationships
which presented as the work developed (Krauss & Ismi, 2010). These reflect the inductive
and deductive thinking of the researcher and is being part of the audit trails. Researcher
also verify what the participants had said in the interviews with documents like certificates,
newspaper articles, publications and videos.

RESEARCH FINDING

Based on vignettes which were organized in matric years of development, the researcher was
able to explore and analyse the similarities and differences in the excellent teacher educator
career development. Five ETEs started their career as graduate teachers in secondary
schools except for Mr. Umar of Penang and Mr. Pauzan the Munsyi who started their career
with certificate in teaching. Instead of their qualification, Mr. Umar went for his CPE, by taking
English Teacher Specialist Course and 2 years later took up his TESL degree at his eight
years as a teacher. He is the only DG52 from my research participant. I selected him as
my research participant because of his expertise in management instead of being a TESL
Lecturer. Different from Mr. Umar, Mr. Pauzan had vast experience in teaching at remote area
as certified teacher, headmaster and district education officer before he went for his degree
education. Mr. Pauzan was exposed to all these experiences because he was in remote area
schools in Sarawak where certified teachers were very rare. He completed his bachelor in
education at his tenth years as a teacher.

All seven research participants begin their teaching career confidently. Madam Lim
the Scout Master described herself as ….

“…in terms of academic teaching, you know, I was very well equipped to
teach. Other than the head of panel telling me what was the necessary thing
you need to do. But I think it was more in me than anything else I had the support
but that was all extra support….it all embedded in me, I still remembered part
of the reason of why the result came up…”
(Madam Lim, line 134-137)

As beginning teachers, they were also mentored by senior teachers on their present
of the school environment.

Instead of their deliberate involvement in teaching secondary school subjects, they
were also involved in other fields like theatre and subject management. Dr. Malek the Motivator
was actively involved in theatre at school, district, state and national level. He said:

“…Yes we do a lot of theatre, we used to do it with TV3. We won a competition
by TV3 and Ministry of Education. I was very active. Theatre was like my second
home. We presented at Ministry of Youth and Culture and state functions. Many
more…”
(Dr. Malek, line 65-68)

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Mr. Umar was well known for his neatness in management.
”…Wilayah State Education Department supported me through my Principal, they
were looking for somebody to be the key personnel for Wilayah Day Program,
my Principal gave her good words, in terms of how I manage, she saw how I
do, she always said I laid my work neatly, when I go there, started working, the
officers also felt the same way…”

All seven research participant move to work at teachers training college before their 16th
years in their teaching profession. Madam Lin was the earliest, she moves at her 5th years.
Mr. Umar and Mr. Pauzan was the latest, at their 16th years. Some went for their formal CPE
before moving and some after. Dr. Sim of Chemistry went for her Diploma in Psychology at
the National University Malaysia before she moved from a Chemistry teacher in school to an
Education Lecturer at Teachers Training College, teaching Psychology. Dr. Malek the Motivator
who was a Malay Language and Literature teacher, went for his Masters in Educational
Technology before he became Educational Technology Lecturer, and left his theatre activities.
This moves also mark a starting point for him to become a motivator.

Madam Lin, Mr. Soo and Dr. Sim, went for their formal CPE after they were transferred
to Teachers Training College. Madam Lin was formerly an English and Geography teacher
when she was in school, join Social Science Department at Teachers Training College.
She went for her CPE under Mabusho Scholarship for eighteen months in Japan. It was a
research in Information Technology Literacy & Psychology Classes for in-service teacher
training. Coming back from Japan, she was transferred to Education Department to teach
Psychology. Mr. Soo, an English and Geography teacher in school, became Educational
Studies Lecturer and went for his CPE in the United States. He attended a one month course
on Improving Quality of Thinking at Institute of Technology Massachusetts. Later he became
the key personnel for Smart School trainer throughout Malaysia.

Mr. Umar and Mr. Pauzan were different from the other five research participants. They
were teaching English and Malay Language since they were teachers in school. Mr. Umar
was recommended and selected to be English Key Personnel for State Education Department
Program while he was teaching in school. Later he had an opportunity to go to London under
British Council Scholarship for a Formative Evaluation Course for 3 months. He did not only
teach but also handle training and manage key personal of the subject at state level. Upon
transferred to teachers training college, he was again selected to be the Coordinator for Staff
In-service Training Unit at his college. Never the less Mr. Pauzan was actively involved in all
activities involving Malay Language and Culture at state level, name it when he was in school
as teacher what else after he was in teachers training college as lecturer. He trained teachers,
Sarawak Public Sectors staff, and handled research on Sarawak Malay culture.

CPE before and after the research participants move to work at Teachers Training
College mark the starting point for them to develop in their expertise, but two of them still moved
to other fields as their service is needed. Dr Sim was moved from Education Department to
Science Department because Chemistry lecturer was needed there. Madam Lin was relocated
from Social Science Department to Education Department after she came back from Mabusho
program in Japan, because her Psychology knowledge was needed at the department.

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All seven research participants practice deliberately in their discipline. Dr. Sim’s
specialist was Chemistry, she was involved in teaching, developing new curriculum program for
the subject, and became the coordinator for the subject in a twinning program with a prominent
university in Australia. Madam Lin’s specialist were Educational Studies and Scouts which she
practice deliberately until she became trainer for leaders at Asia Pacific Region Scouts. Mr.
Soo’s specialist were teaching Educational Studies and training for higher order thinking skills.
He trained teachers, lecturers and Inspectors Congregation Malaysia. Mr. Umar’s practice
deliberately as Teaching English as a Second Language lecturer and became the In-service
Training Coordinator for his college, he was awarded Excellent Service Awards three times
by different directors for his neatness in management. Dr. Malek’s specialist were Educational
Technology Studies and as Motivator Trainer, where he was involved deliberately in teaching,
research and presenting papers at seminars in the country and abroad. As motivator, he was
involved as motivator speaker throughout Malaysia for students and professionals, and at
prominent TV and Radio Stations. He was also a weekly motivator columnist at prominent
newspaper. He was awarded Teacher Medal of Honor at Perak State Teachers Day celebration
in 2005. Dr. Lim developed his specialist as Remedial Education lecturer at Education
Department but later study Sociology of Curriculum for his doctoral degree where was exposed
to Action Research an when he came back to work, he became the head of Research and
Development Department where he shared Action Research deliberately in training within and
beyond Institute of Teacher Education. Mr. Pauzan shared deliberately his expertise in Malay
Language in his teaching, training with his state public sector staffs, research with prominent
universities in his state on Malay Traditional Music Instruments, presented papers and write
books on his studies, and he was the first ‘Munsyi’ from his state.

Dr. Malek, Dr. Lim and Mr. Pauzan retired in 2015 after almost 40 years in teaching
profession. Dr. Lim and Mr. Pauzan retired with Special Grade C and Dr. Malek with Special
Grade B. They were still actively sharing their expertise after retirement. Madam Lin who is
still in service, was promoted to JUSA C in 2015 after thirty two years teaching. Her promotion
was adjusted from Excellent Lecturer in Educational Studies to Excellent Lecturer in Co-
curriculum. She was the only JUSA grade Excellent Lecturer for Co-curriculum throughout
27 campus of Institute of Teacher Education Malaysia.

DISCUSSIONS

This study reveals that there are various pathways that the professionals can model
in order to become expert. Of course different people have different pathways and challenges.
These pathways come from critical events which occur within the natural progression of a
career with change of experience and has impacted on the performance of a professional or
work related role. Critical events brings about changes in the person and were unplanned.

Critical events in this study promotes learning among the research participants through
their attitudes towards learning, their acquisition of knowledge and development of skills
which involves holistic change. Critical events are crucial for professional development where
research participants took pride of their craftsmanship and their realization of self. Critical
events may also act as a coping strategy to retain their ideals despite the assaults that might
customarily be made on them. Critical events are booster to a professional’s morale as a whole.
The findings of this study are able to present important information regarding professional
journey of the excellent teacher educators from their novice years as teachers in secondary

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schools until they became the excellent teacher educator with an expertise. It is essential to
inform the novice teachers to be aware of this journey in order to become excellent in their
profession. However, they are also applicable to other professions.

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