Impact of in-service Master of Education programmes on teachers and their working environment

In these uncertain times, politicians and society have been voicing high expectations from teacher education asking for evidence of added value and impact on the student. In this study a longitudinal mixed-methods approach was used to determine the impact of in-service Master of Education programmes on teachers (N = 1,917) and their work environment in the Netherlands. The results of online surveys were explained by means of realist evaluation using focus-group and in-depth interviews. The study shows that Master of Education programmes had an impact on professional and pedagogical skills of teachers, and in some cases also on their work environment. A two-tier mechanism is proposed: the Master’s programmes provide teachers with more in-depth knowledge about teaching and learning and a more critical stance through inquiry and research. Consequently, some teachers contribute to a culture of inquiry in their schools, provided that the schools facilitate them in new roles.