The ever-changing needs of society justify the necessity for teachers to engage in continuous learning. Teachers are encouraged to participate in professional development activities that will help them develop the knowledge and skills that are required to meet the needs of a 21st century society.

Drawing on evidence from research that adopted a qualitative case study design and used grounded theory methods of data analysis, this paper explores social justice as a powerful influence on how four selected high school principals in Jamaica defined, interpreted, and enacted school leadership in their individual school contexts. It discusses the main components that characterized the principals' social justice perspective: a caring disposition; an emphasis on building social capital; a belief in students' capacities to succeed; and a focus on reducing inequities.

Knowledge about how Jamaican teachers understand the concept of teacher professionalism is limited. In this qualitative study, 52 final-year student teachers participated in semi-structured interviews and concept mapping exercises designed to explore how they understand teacher professionalism. The analysis revealed that they view professional teachers as those who embody outstanding personal and professional attributes; recognize the complexity and contextual challenges of teaching; and respond to these by connecting the realities of their classrooms with what they have learnt in college.

Rethinking Teacher Education and Teacher Development-this themed issue of the Caribbean Journal of Education has its genesis in research evidence that confirms the impact of teacher quality on students' learning. Some researchers have even argued that it is the determining factor. Given its importance, we are impelled to attend to factors that influence teacher quality, such as teacher professionalism, accountability, and standards.

Distance education in general and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)-based learning in particular have increased access to and expanded formal education for those who, due to situational and institutional factors, were formerly unable to participate in postsecondary education. However, ICT-based learning in Adult Education is not without its challenges. The qualitative case study which informed this paper sought to identify some of these challenges and examined the strategies employed by learners and their facilitators to address those challenges.