Future teachers for future societies: transforming teacher professionalism through problem-based professional learning and development

Twenty-first century problems have forced international policymakers to consider how education might be reimagined so that citizens have the knowledge and skills to respond to the known and unknown challenges ahead and take an active role in the creation of future societies. While it has been suggested that problem-oriented curricular and pedagogical practices could be transformative for learner experience and engagement in education and societal change, little policy attention has been given to teacher professional learning and development within this global vision for education. In this conceptual article, we explore the potentialities and limitations of problem-based learning (PBL) as a model of continuing professional development for teacher professionalism. Drawing on international scholarly research, we focus on five key PBL principles: problem identification, self-directed learning, group collaboration, critical reflection, and variation in PBL design; and assess how these might contribute to transformative change at the level of the profession, education, and wider society. Although there are distinct national political and institutional challenges associated with the implementation of PBL, we argue that this innovative pedagogical approach in higher education could be the future direction of teacher professional learning.