This paper reports an investigation into a school-based professional development program. The program was designed to be responsive to the needs of the science teachers involved through a collaborative approach to observation and discussion of their classroom teaching and their students' learning. The school-based professional development program was developed in accord with much of the research literature related to professional development and change. The participants regarded the program as worthwhile, valuable and meaningful to their practice, so much so, that they adapted it to suit their changing needs. The interesting aspect of the research is how, despite obvious acceptance, enthusiasm and ownership by the participants, the impetus for change dramatically diminished when the external support ceased. It appears as though the nature of teachers' work and their workplace itself creates demands which continually affect those involved in change despite their best intentions.
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Loughran et al. (1997) studied this question.