“A small piece of my heart remained”: In-service foreign language teachers’ perspectives on short-term mobility in continuous professional development

Abstract

Based on the need for qualified French, German and Spanish teachers in Norway, a continuous professional development (CPD) programme for in-service teachers was developed by six universities in Norway, France, Germany and Spain. The hybrid course design includes weekly online sessions, one physical seminar in Norway and short-term mobility involving one week abroad per semester. This article discusses how the professional development of 25 teachers, in terms of intercultural competence (IC), language learning and subject didactic knowledge (SDK), is influenced by short-term mobility. Interviews with the participants were subject to content analysis and discussed through the lens of intercultural theory and literature on CPD education. The findings indicate that hybrid course design is vital for the participants’ professional development. Short-term mobility is particularly salient to the teachers’ motivation and their development of IC, language learning and SDK. Meeting the same instructors online and on site increases the participants’ sense of security and fosters a community of practice. The study has implications for the organisation of CPD programmes and addresses the gap in knowledge regarding the role of short-term mobility in CPD programmes for in-service foreign language teachers in Norway and internationally.