Medium

Effective Teacher Professional Development 

Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Research brief, Learning Policy Institute

  • Summarizes the findings from a study that identified the features of effective professional development by reviewing 35 methodologically rigorous studies that have demonstrated a positive link between teacher professional development, teaching practices, and student outcomes.
  • Provides descriptions of professional development models that include those features.

“Planning Professional Learning” 

Guskey, T. R. (2014). Journal article, Education Leadership

  • Emphasizes that the success of professional learning for teachers depends on how well it is planned and presents an approach for planning professional learning that is based on identifying the purpose and goals of the learning as the starting point for planning.
  • Explains five steps for planning professional learning: (1) student learning outcomes, (2) new practices to be implemented, (3) needed organizational support, (4) desired educator knowledge and skills, and (5) optimal professional learning activities.

Job-Embedded Professional Development: What It Is, Who Is Responsible, and How to Get It Done Well

Croft, A., Coggshall, J. G., Dolan, M., & Powers, E. (with Killion, J.). (2010). Issue brief, National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality

  • Explains the meaning of job-embedded professional development (JEPD) and provides examples and nonexamples of JEPD.
  • Includes a description of formats in which JEPD can occur and the necessary conditions (e.g., opportunity to learn, professional culture, use of adult learning principles, norms of collaboration) to support JEPD.
  • Explains actions that state, district, and school leaders can take to support JEPD.

Reviewing the Evidence on How Teacher Professional Development Affects Student Achievement

Yoon, K. S., Duncan, T., Lee, S. W.-Y., Scarloss, B., & Shapley, K. L. (2007). Issues & Answers Report, Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest

  • Summarizes what can be learned from a review of the evidence on the effects of professional development on student achievement, providing information about nine studies (out of 1,300 reviewed) that met What Works Clearinghouse standards.
  • Provides recommendations for improving the quality of professional development research.

Teaching the Teachers: Effective Professional Development in an Era of High Stakes Accountability

Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Report, National School Boards Association, Center for Public Education

  • Explains how districts can develop an effective professional development program and examines what research says about the structure of professional development that changes teachers’ practice and student learning.
  • Includes information about five principles of professional development and how districts can fund effective professional development.

Learning Forward

  • A professional organization focused solely on those who work in educator professional development.
  • Provides a multitude of resources—including reports, articles, tools, programs, and services—that assist states, districts, and schools in planning, conducting, and evaluating professional learning.
  • Includes information about implementing standards for professional learning and advocating for professional learning.

High-Quality Professional Development for All Teachers: Effectively Allocating Resources

Archibald, S., Coggshall, J. G., Croft, A., & Goe, L. (2011). Research & Policy Brief, National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality

  • Includes a summary of current research related to high-quality professional development and a discussion of the factors that decision-makers need to consider when making decisions about allocating resources for professional development.
  • Includes a description of methods for evaluating professional development activities, examples of approaches to professional development, and self-assessment tools that states and districts can use to determine the extent to which they are ensuring high-quality professional development for all teachers.

The Mirage: Confronting the Hard Truth About Our Quest for Teacher Development

Jacob, A., & McGovern, K. (2015). Report, TNTP

  • Presents findings of a study to identify what works to foster widespread improvement in teacher development.
  • Recommendations in the report provide guidance for districts on how they can improve the results of their efforts to improve teacher practice.
  • Actions are grouped in three areas: redefining what it means to help teachers improve, reevaluating existing professional learning supports and programs, and reinventing how we support effective teaching at scale.

Moving from Compliance to Agency: What Teachers Need to Make Professional Learning Work

Calvert, L. (2016). Report, Learning Forward, National Commission on Teaching & America’s Future

  • Explains the importance of teacher agency in effective professional learning and presents a graphic that explains the conditions that do and do not support teacher agency.
  • Includes seven actions school leaders and policymakers can take in their own contexts to improve teacher agency in their professional learning systems.

Beyond PD: Teacher Professional Learning in High Performing Systems

Jensen, B., Sonnemann, J., Roberts-Hull, K., & Hunter, A. (2016). Report, National Center on Education and the Economy

  • Explains how high-performing systems across the world approach teacher professional learning.
  • Includes information about the system-level policies and strategies that support effective professional learning: developing professional learning leaders; developing evaluation and accountability policies; and creating time and resources for teachers to pursue effective professional learning.
  • Includes examples of professional learning programs, focusing on practical aspects of implementing them.
  • Each chapter includes a list of resources and tools, such as classroom observation forms, mentor hiring guidelines, and frameworks for setting up learning communities.

“Does It Make a Difference? Evaluating Professional Development”

Guskey, T. R. (2002). Journal article, Education Leadership

  • Explains five levels of information that need to be collected and analyzed to achieve effective professional development evaluation.
  • For each level, the explanation includes what questions are addressed, how the information will be gathered, what will be measured or assessed, and how the information will be used.

A Professional Development Evaluation Framework for the Ohio ABLE System

Mullins, D., Lepicki, T., & Glandon, A. (2010). Report, The Ohio State University, Center on Education and Training for Employment

  • Describes the different levels of evaluation for professional development, defines their purpose, suggests appropriate evaluation methods, identifies who should be responsible for conducting the evaluations, and explains the uses of the evaluation results.
  • Includes samples of evaluation instruments that can be used for the different levels of evaluation.

Teacher Professional Development Evaluation Guide

Haslam, M. B. (2010). Guide, National Staff Development Council

  • Provides information to help states and districts plan, conduct, and report on evaluations of professional development.
  • Begins with five questions to inform evaluation planning, discusses approaches to evaluation design and data collection, includes strategies for data analysis, and provides advice for preparing evaluation reports.
  • Includes a list of evaluation resources and sample items for gathering data about teachers’ perceptions of their professional development.

Planning for High Quality Evaluation of Professional Learning

Bocala, C., & Bledsoe, K. (2017). Webinar series, Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast & Islands