A Framework for Designing & Identifying Professional Development Programs
Principles of Effective Professional Development
Designing Professional Development: A District
Profile
With the principles of effective professional development as a foundation, designs
for effective professional development of mathematics teachers need to proceed
carefully and consider a number of different elements. The figure on this page
illustrates a design framework that organizes these elements in ways that suggest
both how to design a new program and how to analyze the design of an existing
program.
At the center of the framework, illustrated in the rectangles connected with horizontal arrows, is a generic planning sequence, incorporating the following actions: committing to a vision and a set of standards, analyzing student learning data, goal setting, planning, doing, and evaluating. The circles above and below the planning sequence represent important inputs into the design process that can help professional developers make informed decisions. They cue designers to consider the extensive knowledge bases that can inform their work (knowledge and beliefs), to understand the unique features of their own context, to draw on a wide repertoire of professional development strategies, and to wrestle with critical issues that mathematics and science education reformers will encounter, regardless of their contexts.
The arrows in the graphic indicate when in the planning sequence these inputs are most important to start to consider. For example, note that strategies are most important to consider after goals are clearly established. Otherwise, there is the danger of grabbing at strategies that may not align with your goals, meet student learning needs, or fit your context. Once an input feeds into the system, it is assumed that it will continue to inform all subsequent stages in the process. For example, knowledge and beliefs informs "commit to vision" and every subsequent step, including how the plan is designed, implemented, and evaluated. Context determines what kind of data you consider in the data analysis phase and what student, teacher, and organizational learning needs the goals should address. Plans are made and implemented based on a solid understanding of contextual factors like available time, resources, leadership, and school culture and are evaluated, in part, by the extent to which these and other context factors are positively impacted. Planners consider critical issues like equity, scale up, and building capacity early on as they set goals and develop plans, and they continue to attend to them later as they are implementing and evaluating the program. Finally, in the design framework graphic, an arrow connects evaluation back to vision and to the other inputs of knowledge & beliefs, context, critical issues, and strategies to illustrate how evaluating leads to rethinking the vision, plans, goals, and actions and may change the inputs. Designs continue to evolve as professional developers learn from both their experiences and evaluation results.
The process mapped out in the design framework can be used to design both small and large-scale professional development, from an individual school's program to a state-wide or national initiative. It can guide designs that involve a single strategy such as a workshop or study group or a complex multi-strategy program, combining several strategies either simultaneously or over time. For any grain size, the design framework provides a map for crafting professional development to achieve the desired goals for students and teachers. (Loucks-Horsley et al, 2003, pp. 3-4)
Illustration from: Designing Professional Development for Teachers of Science
and Mathematics by Susan Loucks-Horsley, Peter W. Hewson, Nancy Love, and Katherine
E. Stiles, with Hubert M. Dyasi, Susan N. Friel, Judith Mumme, Cary I. Sneider,
and Karen L. Worth (Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 1998). The book is a product
of the National Institute for Science Education, funded by the National Science
Foundation. Reprinted by permission of Corwin Press.
Knowledge
& Beliefs
Current knowledge, remarkably strong in most cases, can form a firm foundation
under professional development. Research suggests that learners construct their
own understandings and that certain teaching strategies--such as building on
prior knowledge and active exploration of concepts--can facilitate that learning.
Effective professional development involves active study, over time, of science
content and pedagogy in ways that model effective learning and make direct connections
with teachers' practice. Research on change indicates the importance of attending
to individual teacher needs over time, providing learning opportunities tailored
to those needs, and creating a climate of collegiality and experimentation and
a capacity for continuous learning and support. These knowledge bases influence
design decisions for effective professional development programs.
Context
A thorough examination of factors in the context that participants bring to
the program also assists in design. The needs and nature of the students; the
backgrounds, needs, and teaching responsibilities of the teachers; the resources
available and degree of community support; the organization, expectations, and
current demands of the schools and districts--all are important considerations
in the design of professional development for mathematics teachers
Critical Issues
There are at least nine issues that designers of professional development must
consider that carry the message: Ignore them at your peril! These may not all
require attention at the onset but should be considered as the initiative or
program unfolds.
Ensuring equity and supporting new standards and frameworks through professional
development promote high-quality learning for all students and maximize the
likelihood that current improvement efforts will reach their goals. Such issues
as building capacity, developing leadership, and scaling up influence the extent
to which teachers change their practice. Only when they are addressed by a professional
development program will changes made by individual teachers extend beyond their
classrooms to the education system.
Attention paid to garnering public support and evaluating professional development
helps ensure sustained commitment to a program that works effectively. All nine
of the critical issues should concern professional developers at some time in
their work.
15 Strategies for Professional Development
Fifteen strategies for professional development are summarized in the next section
of this publication. The strategies are the "toolkit" from which professional
developers can design their programs or initiatives. They expand the professional
development repertoire far beyond the more typical inservice workshops, courses,
and institutes (although these are included as well). A well-chosen array of
experiences will promote teachers' opportunities for growth in many different
areas of knowledge and skill, and in a wide variety of contexts.
Those looking for a few discrete, clearly effective "models of professional
development" will be disappointed that none exist. Every situation and
initiative requires its own unique model. But this does not mean that each program
needs to start from scratch. As explanation of this design model indicates,
there is a broad and deep base of information, research, and, indeed, wisdom
that can be drawn upon to build unique and successful professional development
opportunities for science teachers.
References & Resources
Loucks-Horsley, S., P.W. Hewson, N. Love, & K.E. Stiles. (1998) Designing
Professional Development for Teachers of Science and Mathematics. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Corwin Press.
Shulman, L.S. (1987) Knowledge and teaching: Foundations of the new reform.
Harvard Educational Review, 57, 1-22.
U.S. Department of Education, Professional Development Team. (1995) Mission
and principles of professional development. Washington, DC: Author.
U.S. Department of Education. (1993-94) National Center for Education Statistics,
Schools and Staffing Survey, Public School Teacher Questionnaire. Washington,
DC: Author.
Table adapted from Designing Professional Development for Teachers of Science
and Mathematics by Susan Loucks-Horsley, Peter W. Hewson, Nancy Love, and Katherine
E. Stiles, with Hubert M. Dyasi, Susan N. Friel, Judith Mumme, Cary I. Sneider,
and Karen L. Worth (Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, 1998). The book is a product
of the National Institute for Science Education, funded by the National Science
Foundation.
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