Examining the Relationship between Professional Development and Educational Innovation among Faculty Members of Psychology and Education at Governmental Universities of Tehran

Nowadays the mission of universities to survive and develop better human resources, increase the quantity and quality of services as well as educational innovation. In the meantime professional development plays a constructive role in promoting the development of professional knowledge and skills of faculty members in order to achieve these objectives. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between professional development and educational innovation among faculty members of psychology and education in governmental universities of Tehran. To this end, a random categorical sampling with proportional allocation including 102 participants were selected from a population of 232 of the faculty members of psychology and education in governmental universities of Tehran. Using Cochran formula some 102 people were chosen. Data gathering instruments include professional development and educational innovation as well as a researcher-made questionnaire. The research was descriptive, correlational and data analysis was used for the correlation, stepwise regression and binomial test. Results showed that significant relationship (p≤0/05) between all of the six professional development components (personal development, educational development, research development, organization development, ethical development and cultural and social development) with educational innovation. Furthermore; the results of the stepwise regression showed that 66% of variation of educational innovation predicted by educational, research and cultural components. Paying attention to the professional development of faculty members provides training ground for innovation and universities have a vital role in this regard.