Presentation of PD Articles Alyssa Berry Fall 2011

“… The Field of Professional Development has not yet reached a level at which we can term a particular strategy or method effective, by measuring rigor or intensity.” (Hirsch & Killion, 2009)

� Mentoring � Peer Coaching � Hands on Activities � Learning Circles � Set clear goals prior to

designing a PD � Clearly defined Methods

of Evaluation � KASAB � TPACK

Best Practices

I find it challenging to measure the difference between PD practices. They are interrelated. There is not one particular practice that trumps the other, rather each practice much be integrated with another to make a unique professional development tailored towards the needs of each audience.

Comparing PD Practices

Technical Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)

TPACK (Technology Pedagogical Content Knowledge)

Teachers need to know, not only what to do to improve student achievement but also understand the how, why, and when. Professional development is not just about learning new information and implementing strategies. Learning new strategies play a major role as well as evaluating the effectiveness and using transfer to apply skills in other areas of the teaching practice.

Contextual Knowledge

Teachers must Understand when

to use the knowledge or skill

Declarative Knowledge

What teachers need to know. Teachers need to see the

benefit of the new knowledge or skill

demonstrated.

Procedural Knowledge

How teachers use the knowledge or perform

the skill. Ample time must be provided for

teachers to explore the knew knowledge or

tool with the allocated time of the PD

Two Types of ETPD Linear PD

1.  One day of direct instruction with tools and reading material provided.

2.  Teachers are sent out to implement the new tool or innovation.

3.  Test Scores are Analyzed months later.

4.  End of PD- Decision made if Innovation was effective.

Cyclical PD

1.  Reflection on needs of audience.

2.  Inquiry based instruction 3.  Collaboration with peers

while learning 4.  Sharing with students 5.  PD facilitator observes

instruction of Audience member implementing in context

6.  On going Evaluation 7.  Reflection of success o

implementation 8.  Repeat steps 1-7

ETPD Frameworks

Diffusion of Innovations

Professional developers have learned that adoption of innovation is dependent of several interrelated models of change. Teachers fall into various categories that describe their comfort level and attitude towards the uncertainty of newness (innovations, typically technology)

“… We cannot expect results from students from a staff development program that is unlikely to produce them. And we cannot expect an evaluation to produce useful results when the program being evaluated is poorly conceived and constructed…” ( Killion, 2003)

Evaluation Strategies

Questions and Further Research

� Levels of Fidelity � Changing Attitudes towards

innovations � Encouraging PD to become

a cyclical process � Energy of PD facilitator