Research Article

Impact of teacher professional development on student achievement with a focus on Bosnia and Herzegovina: Analyzing TIMSS 2019 results in Western Balkan countries and Croatia

Naida Bikić 1 * , Nevzudin Buzađija 2 , Ines Nuić 3
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1 Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zenica, Zenica, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA2 Faculty of Polytechnic, University of Zenica, Zenica, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA3 Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA* Corresponding Author
International Journal of Professional Development, Learners and Learning, 6(1), January 2024, ep2405, https://doi.org/10.30935/ijpdll/14388
Submitted: 11 January 2024, Published: 22 March 2024
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ABSTRACT

Students in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) score very low on international assessments (TIMSS & PISA), lower than the countries in the region with which it shares similar background. In this paper the characteristics of teachers’ professional development (TPD) in the region of Western Balkan countries (Albania, B&H, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia) and Croatia are brought into correlation with average results in mathematics and science on TIMSS 2019. Research questions analyze teachers’ attitudes towards their profession and investigate the impact of professional development (PD) of mathematics and science teachers in the last two years, with a specific focus on the situation in B&H, on students’ achievement in mathematics and science. The findings indicate a lack of TPD as a contributing factor to lower results in B&H. The research suggests that B&H should consider reforms in the education system and enhance teachers’ attitudes towards their profession through intensified PD programs to advance education and learning.
Keywords: professional development, mathematics and science achievement, Western Balkans, TIMSS 2019

CITATION (APA)

Bikić, N., Buzađija, N., & Nuić, I. (2024). Impact of teacher professional development on student achievement with a focus on Bosnia and Herzegovina: Analyzing TIMSS 2019 results in Western Balkan countries and Croatia. International Journal of Professional Development, Learners and Learning, 6(1), ep2405. https://doi.org/10.30935/ijpdll/14388

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