China National Online Development for English Language Teachers (NODE) Project

The NODE Project, an acronym for China National Online Development for English Language Teachers Project, is a tailored online project designed exclusively for junior high school English teachers in China. It places a particular emphasis on empowering English teachers from geographies that have limited access to high-quality teacher development resources. This collaborative endeavor brings together the UK training experts and quality teacher development resources, enhancing teaching philosophies and classroom practices of teachers while fostering a localized online teacher development model. Supported by a local dedicated lead teacher team (teacher educators), the project fosters a culture of collaborative learning among teachers, ultimately boosting daily teaching practices in an approach of integrating training and research with teaching.

• English Programmes Team, British Council
• China Education Association for International Exchange
• ELT-Consultants (responsible for designing and implementing the training  project)

NODE focuses on four themes:

1.       Teaching Speaking

2.       Motivating Students

3.       Teaching Reading

4.       21st-Century Skills

This survey investigated the online professional development needs of 4,669 participating English teachers in China.These themes were selected based on the top four priorities identified among 15 key teacher needs outlined in a June 2022 survey conducted by the British Council, as outlined in the survey report titled The continuing professional development experiences and needs of English language teachers - China, Japan and Korea | British Council. This survey investigated the online professional development needs of 4,669 participating English teachers in China.

The program was conducted from November 2021 to March 2022. The training modalities include self-access learning(Teaching for Success modular courses), live foundational training courses led by UK experts, live localized webinars, TAG (Teacher Activity Group) activities guided by a local team of Chinese lead teachers, acting as TAG facilitators, , as well as regular teaching reflection and application of the learning in classroom teaching.

By participating in this program, teachers gained:

• Enhancement of teaching methodologies and practical teaching skills under the guidance of UK experts
• Access to thematic online self-directed professional development course resources
• The opportunities to establish teacher activity groups, fostering peer collaboration, teaching discussions and joint improvement of teaching practices and self-development abilities.

An integral part of the NODE Project, the Exploratory Action Research study delved into the intricate relationship between digital training, classroom practices, and teacher development in China. Conducted via a mixed-methods approach, the study first surveyed 2,836 Chinese primary and secondary school English teachers from November to December 2022 to understand their motivation and engagement with online continuing professional development (OCPD). Despite contextual constraints, the findings revealed that teachers predominantly engage in OCPD activities through various digital platforms, driven by intrinsic motivations. Recognizing this potential, the second phase of the study involved a 14-week exploratory action research mentoring intervention with six teachers from March to June 2023, leveraging their preferred digital platforms. Results from focus group interviews and participant reflections underscored the effectiveness of this approach in fostering teacher agency, promoting student-teacher collaboration, and enhancing classroom interaction and practices. This study presents evidence-based recommendations for OCPD initiatives in Chinese education, emphasizing the advantages of participatory professional development approaches. Its findings hold significant implications for policymakers, educators, and researchers seeking to bolster teacher motivation, engagement, and practice.