Professional Learning of Late-career Teachers: A Systematic Literature Review

Although professional development has been widely studied, the professional learning of late-career teachers remains an underexplored area. This mixed-methods systematic review synthesises findings from 12 peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2024, focusing on teachers aged 50 and above. The analysis, structured around the Job Demands-Resources model, examined how professional learning is defined, experienced and supported in the later stages of teaching careers. The findings revealed significant inconsistencies in how late-career teachers are defined, whether by age, experience or perceived expertise, highlighting the lack of a coherent conceptualisation for this group. Similarly, professional learning was operationalised in various ways across studies, ranging from formal, structured programmes to informal, workplace-embedded practices. The review identifies late-career teachers' preference for socially embedded and collaborative learning opportunities, such as mentoring, dialogue and reflective practice. However, mentoring late-career teachers is typically seen as a one-way relationship where only the mentee learns, rather than as a shared learning experience in which both mentor and mentee grow together. Using the job demands-resources model, the review categorises key job demands (e.g., workload, role ambiguity) and resources (e.g., collegial support, autonomy, self-efficacy) that influence late-career teachers’ engagement in learning. It highlights a notable gap in tailored interventions addressing their specific needs. The review concludes with both theoretical and practical implications, advocating for more nuanced, context-sensitive approaches to professional learning that value the continued growth, contributions and well-being of teachers in the later stages of their careers.

Affiliations

UCLouvainSSH/IACS - Institute of Analysis of Change in Contemporary and Historical Societies

Citations

APA
Chicago
FWB

Brouhier, Q., Raemdonck, I., & März, V. (2026). Professional Learning of Late-career Teachers: A Systematic Literature Review. Educational Research Review, 50, 100757. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2025.100757 (Original work published 2026)