Despite the increasing attention to EFL teachers'' continuing professional development (CPD) in China, few studies'' have examined the inquiry processes and outcomes of these EFL teachers as they conduct group discussions to meet individual needs for their professional development. The purpose of such discussions is to develop a model for advocating learner-centeredness, autonomy, agency, reflection, collaboration, and networking with others, all of which constitute a still uncommon practice in Chinese universities.
Grounded in activity theory (AT), in addition to published literature on the Collaborative Professional Inquiry (CPI) model, the present research explored an intra-department CPI model by pursuing a close examination of an EFL teacher participants'' group activity for professional development at one Chinese university over the course of a semester.Despite the increasing attention to EFL teachers'' continuing professional development (CPD) in China, few studies'' have examined the inquiry processes and outcomes of these EFL teachers as they conduct group discussions to meet individual needs for their professional development. The purpose of such discussions is to develop a model for advocating learner-centeredness, autonomy, agency, reflection, collaboration, and networking with others, all of which constitute a still uncommon practice in Chinese universities.
Grounded in activity theory (AT), in addition to published literature on the Collaborative Professional Inquiry (CPI) model, the present research explored an intra-department CPI model by pursuing a close examination of an EFL teacher participants'' group activity for professional development at one Chinese university over the course of a semester.
I present a case study of a group of Chinese EFL teachers who taught a College English course (4 focal participants and 12 non-focal participants). Sources of data included questionnaires, interviews, group discussions, reflection papers, QQ exchanges, and documents (reading materials, school documents, department files, my field notes, research journals, and students'' assignments). My analyses demonstrate the processes of interaction and negotiation in the course of group discussions, influential factors that facilitate or constrain the model of this group activity, and strengths and weaknesses of this model for EFL teachers'' professional development.