Evaluating the impact of in-service teacher training: A scoping review

This contribution presents a scoping review on the impact of in-service teacher training beyond student achievement-only metric, with an in-depth analysis of international studies that address impact evaluation from a multidimensional perspective. The articles’ selection was guided by the methodological framework of Arksey and O’Malley and the PRISMA guidelines. Peer-reviewed studies analyzing in-service teacher training from early childhood to upper secondary education and explicitly addressing impact evaluation were included. The review addressed three research questions: which methodologies and research designs are most prevalent; which impact dimensions are most frequently examined and how they are investigated; which types of training are most frequently studied. The research was conducted using three databases (Scopus, ERIC, Web of Science) and data were extracted based on the theoretical framework developed by Kreber, Brook, and Policy, allowing the authors to consider six sub-dimensions of impact evaluation. The findings reveal a complex yet unbalanced landscape. The first two impact dimensions - changes in teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes - are the most frequently examined, while concrete changes in teaching practices and students’ perspectives remain largely marginal. Training topics focus mainly on STEM subjects, with the humanities underrepresented and scarce references to sustainability or transversal competences, despite their growing relevance in international agendas. Geographically, studies are concentrated in Europe and North America. Secondary education is predominant, and teachers’ views are prioritized, while multi-actor perspectives - such as those of students, families, or other stakeholders - are rarely included.