They argue that the research community has failed to offer useful guidelines for «best practice» that would help improve the quality and effectiveness
of professional learning activities.
The questions are designed to obtain feedback from teachers about developments in knowledge and practice, as well as the effectiveness of support systems, such
as professional learning activities.
According to the guidance in the report, this makes NISL the only source of
Professional Learning Activity for Principals eligible for Title I funding that has been shown to increase student achievement.
The general disregard for curriculum as a means to improve teacher effectiveness and student outcomes is reflected in the observation that «many teachers do not have access to strong, standards - aligned curriculum; in fact, most teachers spend hours every week searching for materials that haven't been vetted and aren't connected to ongoing,
professional learning activities in their schools.»
Although a host of variables intervene between
educator professional learning activities and student learning, Guskey and Sparks noted three major characteristics of professional development that have a direct influence on educator learning, which indirectly leads to student outcomes.
The order of steps for professional learning planning thus becomes (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.
The Newcomer Tool Kit provides (1) discussion of topics relevant to understanding, supporting, and engaging newcomer students and their families; (2) tools, strategies, and examples of classroom and schoolwide practices in action, along with chapter -
specific professional learning activities for use in staff meetings or professional learning communities; and (3) selected resources for further information and assistance, most of which are available online.
Plan is an authoring tool with which teacher developers may create
custom professional learning activities (assessments, assignments, modules) that can incorporate materials from the LessonSketch media collections.
Additionally, the chapters include space and prompts to support personal reflection by the reader, as well as engage in a
Dialogic Professional Learning Activity or reflect about school and district practices.
Schools should begin by deciding what student learning outcomes are desired, and then consider what instructional practices will produce these outcomes, what organizational supports are needed to implement those instructional practices well, what new skills teachers will need, and only then
what professional learning activities will best help teachers develop these skills.
The report captured feedback from a nationally representative sample of educators on professional development and micro-credentials and found that nearly 70 percent of educators seek out both formal and
informal professional learning activities to become better teachers.
The current CECE program proposes a means by which members can document their professional learning using a self assessment and reflective model that reviews a member's «
recent professional learning activities, performance reviews, changes in relevant legislation, policy and procedures or other information relevant to... (an individual's) continuous professional learning» (College of Early Childhood Educators, 2013, p. 6).
The Newcomer Tool Kit provides (1) a discussion of topics relevant to understanding, supporting, and engaging newcomer students and their families; (2) tools, strategies, and examples of classroom and schoolwide practices in action, along with chapter - specific
professional learning activities for use in staff meetings or professional learning communities; and (3) selected resources for further information and assistance, most of which are available online at no cost.
From there we can consider what new practices and policies can be implemented to achieve those goals, the organizational support required, the knowledge and skills educators must have, and
optimal professional learning activities that will help them gain that knowledge and skills.
Currently,
professional learning activities accessed by registered early childhood educators range from single or multi-session workshops to educational and professional credentials such as certificates, diplomas and degrees.
Participation in
any professional learning activity needs to be driven by a desire to improve identified student outcomes.
Effective performance and development requires setting clear goals, derived from an identified need, and which include a plan for translation to practice and inform the selection of
professional learning activities.
Collaborative When a team of teachers jointly tackle
a professional learning activity, then the ensuing debate, discussion and developing relationships strengthen the effectiveness of the experience.
Moreover,
professional learning activities must be something authentic or applicable to their present situations because it is only when a teacher sees how a tech tool can work or improve instruction, assessment, or classroom management can he or she truly realize the importance of that professional learning activity.
Professional Learning Advisory: Advise and support The Center for Education Leadership's
professional learning activities (meets 3 times per year)
IEL is committed to improving professional learning systems based on each local context - we customize
all professional learning activities and through a process of co-planning with each of our client - partners.
Reflective writing space to document professional learning goals, areas of focus, a plan for
professional learning activities, resources, timelines, data collection and analysis, and reflection.
The report identified NISL as the sole «
Professional Learning Activity for Principals» found to increase student achievement and to meet the ESSA Tier II level of evidence.
The 2017 National Forum on Dropout Prevention for Native and Tribal Communities is
a professional learning activity sponsored by The National Dropout Prevention Center, in partnership with the Arizona Department of... Read More»
But just as you must decide a journey's destination before you can determine the best route, you must clarify the goals you want to achieve in terms of better educator practice and improved student learning before you can judge the value, worth, and appropriateness of
any professional learning activity.
The format and content of
professional learning activities are vitally important and must be thoughtfully addressed.
The effectiveness of
any professional learning activity, regardless of its content, structure, or format, depends mainly on how well it is planned.
Because of this distance, they should only be accountable for providing evidence that
the professional learning activities they plan and coordinate improve educators» knowledge and skills.
But if
these professional learning activities increase educators» knowledge and skills but result in no change in school or classroom practice and no improvements in student learning, would we consider these activities successful?
Currently, Tiffany oversees
the professional learning activities for Master of Arts in Teaching interns and their mentors at the University of Louisiana at Monroe by facilitating training and modeling effective teaching strategies.