SMART Teacher Lab: A learning platform for the professional development of EFL teachers

Abstract

This article introduces the structure and content of an online learning platform called SMART Teacher Lab (STL, henceforth) implemented at the authors’ university since 2014. “STL” is an online platform specifically built for the professional development of pre- and in-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers, containing and accumulating various types of hands-on and field-specific educational resources. These resources include information on the preparation of teaching practicums, video clips of teaching demonstrations, student or teacher interviews, lecture materials on recent educational approaches and technology, and more. STL was originally designed as an open-access mobile-based platform based on the previous literature of non-formal learning, and a development-centered view of bottom-up teacher education. Providing examples of resources related to English education majors and highlighting the strengths of STL, this article aims to emphasize the importance of such a platform for the successful and sustainable professional development of EFL teachers. Suggestions for EFL teacher trainers in other pedagogical contexts are also included.