Abstract:

The EU-co-funded FOOTT PRINTTS project examines the perceptions and evaluations of training formats among educators in six European partner countries: Austria, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Portugal and Greece. Based on a comprehensive literature review and a previous quantitative survey with more than 5,000 participants, 19 semi-structured expert interviews were conducted between June and September 2025. Participants included teachers (micro level) and decision-makers responsible for teacher training (macro level). All interviews were anonymized, transcribed, and analyzed using MAXQDA with deductive coding based on predefined categories such as format, duration, venue, implementation, motivation, participation, trainer competence, satisfaction and resources.

The results underscore the pivotal role of training format for acceptance and effectiveness. Face-to-face formats are highly valued for their interactive nature, opportunities for networking, and practical exercises, fostering trust and deep discussion. However, they entail higher organizational effort, travel time and costs. Online formats offer flexibility and accessibility, particularly for educators in remote regions, but face limitations in addressing complex topics and collaborative learning. They require careful design with interactive elements to maintain engagement and cognitive activation, while challenges such as technical barriers, distractions, and screen fatigue persist.

Venue selection is influenced by content, budget and infrastructure. Schools are considered ideal for practice-oriented learning, whereas external venues such as museums or conference centers provide variety and inspiration. Duration must align with content and format. Online sessions are most effective when limited to 1.5–4 hours, while face-to-face formats often require full-day or multi-day schedules to achieve sustainable impact. Very short formats are widely criticized as ineffective, whereas process-oriented approaches with extended timeframes and trial phases are perceived as more impactful.

Successful implementation of training content in classroom practice depends on practical relevance, concrete applicability, and institutional support. Reflection and peer exchange are essential, complemented by a balanced mix of theory and practice, competent trainers and interactive methods. Trial phases during or after training and structured feedback loops are identified as key to long-term effectiveness.

Motivation to participate is predominantly intrinsic, driven by professional growth, meaningful learning and practical benefits, while extrinsic incentives such as certificates and career advancement play a secondary role with notable variation across countries. Participation occurs within a tension between bottom-up initiatives and top-down governance.

Trainer competence is a decisive factor for quality, encompassing subject expertise, didactic skills, empathy and flexibility. Participant satisfaction strongly correlates with content relevance, interactivity and supportive conditions, while barriers such as time constraints, high costs, bureaucratic hurdles and lack of practical orientation remain prevalent. Emerging needs include topics such as digitalization, artificial intelligence, inclusion and mental health.

Overall, the study demonstrates that effective professional development must be practice-oriented, flexible and interactive to foster motivation, satisfaction and sustainable implementation.

Keywords:

Continuous Professional Development, CPD, Teacher Training, Qualitative Research, FOOTT PRINTTS, Framework.