A Model for Out-of-School Educator Professional Learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 115-122
Author(s):  
Saundra Wever Frerichs ◽  
Melissa Sue Pearman Fenton ◽  
Kerri Wingert
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Learning Theories ◽  
Stem Learning ◽  
School Time ◽  
Diverse Field ◽  
Professional Development Model ◽  
Out Of School

Quality out-of-school time (OST) programs for youth are limited by a lack of professional learning opportunities for staff and volunteers that are based upon solid learning theory, affordable, and scalable for a diverse field. The Click2Science project is an innovative model for professional learning experiences that support staff and volunteers in providing high-quality science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning opportunities for youth. This model of professional learning emphasizes the importance of visual, social, and experiential learning experiences with reflection and application to practice. The model leverages technology and in-person support in a cycle of professional development experiences. The experiences included in the professional development model allow staff and volunteers in OST programs to develop their instructional skills in ways that are embedded in the actual practices of their program. In this article, each part of the professional development cycle is analyzed using constructivist learning theories to encourage adult educators to replicate this model in other fields. A brief review of promising research about the effectiveness of the model concludes the description of this approach to professional development.

scholarly journals A social-cognitive study of Indonesian Google educator groups

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Pratiwi Artati
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Educational Technology ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Technological Environment ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Education Groups

<p>Self-directed professional learning is distinct from the traditional approach of directed professional development. The introduction of the Internet into Indonesian society provides the opportunity for teachers to use digital tools for their teaching and to access professional learning without attending mandated professional development. An emerging phenomenon in Indonesia is the establishment and use of Google Education Groups (GEGs) for professional learning about the use of educational technology (ed-tech) in the schooling sector. Two research questions guided the examination of Indonesian educators’ experiences of GEGs: (1) how do Indonesian educators participate in the GEGs for ed-tech professional learning? and (2) how do the GEGs function to enable Indonesian educators’ ed-tech professional learning? Collective case study methodology was applied, and three Google Education Groups were examined, one from a metropolitan area, one from an urban area and the third from a rural context. In each case study, the leader of the group and three group members with varying levels of online engagement were interviewed and online forum conversations were examined. Data were analysed using Stake’s method of categorical aggregation leading to within-case assertions and cross-case analysis. A social cognitive perspective was used as a framework to analyse and interpret findings. It was found that the Indonesian educators had an agentic approach to professional learning, which was context-dependent with three major interrelated aspects: the regional-technological environment as context, the individuals as agentic learners, and the connectedness as social learners enabled meaningful learning experiences. The regional-technological environment influenced how the GEGs functioned. The Metropolitan group was innovative and collaborative, focusing on the use of web-based tools to improve productivity of ed-tech practices. The Urban group aimed to explore how they could use web-based tools to improve efficiency through paperless classroom practices and school administration. The Rural group sought to use of web-based tools for simple teaching and learning practices within a context of low bandwidth and limited ICT infrastructure. In addition, certain conditions that support online collaboration and factors that can minimise and optimise ed-tech learning opportunities are identified. Participants overcame limitations and constraints by enacting agency and developing social connectedness in learning through the groups. The group leadership positions were voluntary and found to be driven by a desire to share expertise and practices that support, inspire, and empower others rather than about gaining positional authority. Participation in online informal groups such as Google Education Groups appears to be a supportive method of professional learning that facilitates agentic and experiential learning about the use of educational technology in Indonesia. This model can enhance professional learning opportunities for Indonesian educators. It can also be implemented into the design of government-supported ed-tech PD programmes, to create an empowering and safe learning environment that can optimise their potential in learning and improve practice.</p>

Systematic Support for STEM Pre-Service Teachers

2016 ◽  
pp. 541-558
Author(s):  
Reenay R.H. Rogers ◽  
Jodie Winship ◽  
Yan Sun
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
The United States ◽  
Department Of Education ◽  
Development Model ◽  
Stem Learning ◽  
12Th Grade ◽  
Professional Development Model ◽  
Teacher Workforce ◽  
K 12

Developing a strong STEM teacher workforce is essential to improve K-12 (kindergarten to 12th grade) STEM education and to strengthen the STEM talent pipeline in the United States. Based on the successful experience in Project Engage, a grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education, this chapter proposes an authentic and sustainable four-pillar STEM professional development model. Grounded on social constructivist and interactive approaches, this professional development model is intended to cultivate STEM pre-service teachers' ability to provide K-12 students with authentic STEM learning experience as defined in the four types of authenticity (i.e., context authenticity, task authenticity, impact authenticity, and personal/value authenticity) identified by Strobel and his colleagues (Strobel, Wang, Weber, & Dyehouse, 2013).

Enhancing teachers' and administrators learning experiences through school–university partnerships: a qualitative case study in China

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guoyuan Sang ◽  
Jun Zhou ◽  
Abdulghani Muthanna
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Qualitative Case Study ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThis qualitative study aimed to explore how the school–university partnership (SUP) enhances the elementary teachers' professional development in a school-based setting.Design/methodology/approachBy following the qualitative case study methodology, this case study employs semi-structured interviews (the authors designed) with 10 school teachers and administrators. The authors adapted the iterative process analysis (Miles and Huberman, 1984) for compiling, coding, annotating the data and interpreting the interview transcripts. The authors also used the member checking technique that establishes credibility in a qualitative study (Lincoln and Guba, 1985) with six participants.FindingsThe findings suggest that participating in a series of professional learning activities led to the enhancement of teachers' and administrators learning experiences in view of educational theories, action research abilities, teaching efficiency, teaching research capacities and improvement of school guidelines. Further, they reveal that the participants' expectations for future SUP collaborations centred on realizing the sustainability and effectiveness of collaborations, and autonomy of teachers.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations of the current study include its focus on a single SUP within one school and the reliance on data collected only by interviews during the SUP process. This study offers implications for teacher learning within SUP collaborations. First, schools should consider how to involve and influence all teachers rather than SUP core members only. To this end, authentic professional learning communities need to be constructed. Second, universities should pay much more attention to the professional development of their faculty members towards integration of theoretical knowledge and practical experiences.Originality/valueThis original study explores practical ways of improving teachers' theoretical and practical teaching practices/experiences through SUP projects, and contributes new knowledge to the teaching professional development of school teachers and administrators.

scholarly journals Development of the OSTRC Conference Evaluation Toolkit

2008 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 118-134
Author(s):  
Jennifer Buher-Kane ◽  
Nancy Peter ◽  
Stefanie Gabel
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Staff Development ◽  
Out Of School Time ◽  
Resource Center ◽  
School Time ◽  
Funding Agencies ◽  
Development Evaluation ◽  
Effective Staff Development ◽  
Time Resource ◽  
Out Of School

Research demonstrates that staff quality directly impacts student achievement in out-of-school time (OST) settings, and that effective staff development contributes to a skilled workforce. Evaluating OST professional development is therefore attracting increased attention from researchers, practitioners, and funding agencies. In the spring of 2004, the Out-of-School Time Resource Center (OSTRC) began searching for professional development evaluation instruments designed specifically for the OST field. Since the OSTRC could not locate research-based surveys for this genre, it implemented a pilot study to create and test such instruments. These surveys were designed to evaluate professional conferences, which are critical (but not exclusive) components of OST professional development opportunities. The overarching goal of this study was to operationalize the pathway between professional development conferences and increased student learning.

scholarly journals The Social & Mobile Learning Experiences of Students Using Mobile E-books

2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff S Kissinger
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Learning ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
The United States ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Value Theory ◽  
Learning Theories ◽  
College Level ◽  
State College

This research was designed to explore the learning experiences of state college students using mobile e-book readers. The purpose of the study was to build a rich description of how students used electronic textbooks delivered on mobile computing devices for college-level, introductory sociology courses at a Southeastern public state college in the United States. This research employed a multiple case study design that thoroughly investigated and documented student experiences with this instructional technology. The bounding frame was comprised of the literature on mobile technology, mobile learning theories, and e-books. Situated within the mobile learning framework was a theoretical lens of learning theories commonly found in the literature on mobile learning (constructivism, social cognitive theory, self-efficacy theory, expectancy x value theory, self-determination theory, and situated cognition). This lens was used to provide insight into the student’s learning experiences. Students were found to be competent with the e-books, confident, metacognitive, and desirous of more social learning opportunities within their e-books. Six major conclusions were reached. These were: (1) students expressed competence in their use of the mobile e-books, (2) students expressed feelings of high self-efficacy when using the mobile e-books, (3) students overall valued the use of the e-book for their learning, (4) students were individualized and metacognitive in their learning with the mobile e-books, (5) students enhanced their learning socially and within situated learning opportunities, and (6) the students and the instructor had divergent views on the value and utility of social, interactive textbooks.

Engaging All Learners Through Quality Early Childhood Teacher Education

2021 ◽  
pp. 59-77
Author(s):  
Lynn Ellen Cohen ◽  
Angela Kalthoff
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Digital Media ◽  
Teacher Educators ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Early Childhood Teacher ◽  
Digital Tools ◽  
Learning Theories ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Professional Development Model

This chapter guides early childhood teacher educators, teachers, and policy makers to use appropriate technological tools in early childhood classrooms. It begins with learning theories related to computational thinking with a discussion of Seymour Papert and presents Marina Bers' framework. The chapter includes a professional development model for teachers and teacher educators. Technological apps and computational thinking are offered for use with face-to-face, hybrid, and remote instruction in early childhood settings. Many of the digital tools described in the chapter have numerous suggestions and resources available for teachers, teacher educators, and students to create a platform to begin using digital tools and evaluate how to select and use digital media. Changes can be brought about by reimagining classrooms and reshaping pedagogy with continued professional development.

Simple Interactions: Piloting a Strengths-Based and Interaction-Based Professional Development Intervention for Out-of-School Time Programs

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Akiva ◽  
Junlei Li ◽  
Kelly M. Martin ◽  
Christy Galletta Horner ◽  
Anne R. McNamara
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Development Intervention ◽  
Out Of School Time ◽  
School Time ◽  
Out Of School

scholarly journals Findings from Five Out-of-School Time Focus Groups: Professional Development Preferences, Experiences and Recommendations for Future Planning

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-100
Author(s):  
Jennifer Buher-Kane ◽  
Nancy Peter ◽  
Stacy Olitsky ◽  
Susan Kinnevy
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Out Of School Time ◽  
Resource Center ◽  
School Time ◽  
New Information ◽  
Survey Instruments ◽  
Evaluating Professional Development ◽  
Time Resource ◽  
Out Of School

Evaluating professional development can assist with designing better programs in the future, yet survey instruments may not always capture the nuances of participant’s experiences. Therefore, in order to develop better survey instruments, the Out-of-School Time Resource Center conducted a series of five focus groups. Questions pertained to participants’ job-related needs, preferred types of professional development, characteristics of both “good” and “bad” workshops, reasons why new information is not utilized, and recommendations for policymakers/funders. Findings from the focus groups have been used to revise OSTRC pilot surveys, which will be standardized and published as an Evaluation Toolkit that can be used to design and evaluate OST conferences.

scholarly journals Sustainability, Spread, and Shift: Developing a Professional Learning Program for Out-of-School Educators With Scale-Up in Mind

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Peterman ◽  
Jane Robertson Evia ◽  
Sue Allen ◽  
Scott C. Byrd ◽  
Brittney Nickerson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
Essential Elements ◽  
Learning Program ◽  
Out Of School Time ◽  
School Time ◽  
Out Of School

This case study describes the iterative process used to develop a virtual coaching program for out-of-school-time (OST) educators, particularly those who work in afterschool and library settings. The program, called ACRES (Afterschool Coaching for Reflective Educators in STEM), used a design-based implementation research (DBIR) approach to consider issues related to scale-up. Afterschool and library settings are complex systems that include supports and barriers that require adaptation for implementation. Throughout the design process, program developers worked to identify the essential elements of the program that should be maintained across contexts, while attending to the diverse needs of individual OST settings. Survey and interview data were collected from the full range of stakeholders throughout the implementation process to verify the importance of the essential elements to the professional learning model, and to gather early indicators of the program’s potential related to three key concepts for successful scale-up of programs: sustainability, spread, and shift. Conclusions are shared in relation to how these types of results support the scale-up of programs, and the strengths and gaps in the process used to apply the DBIR approach in our work.

scholarly journals From Experience to Expertise: Professional Development through Collaborative Inquiry

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Cherubini ◽  
Annie Gojmerac
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Personal Service ◽  
Grounded Theory Research ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Professional Development Model ◽  
Theory Research

This research paper presents the outcomes of a professional learning community (PLC) of teachers involved in a personal service approach to professional development. The PLC was conceptualized as an inquiry-based professional development intervention based on teachers’ specific needs. Participants represented 4 regions that encompassed a large Ontario school board district. Through a qualitative grounded theory research approach, two key outcomes emerged from the data, including, ‘Intrinsic motivation to improve teaching and learning’ and ‘Critical reflections in teaching.’ By critically reflecting on their teaching within the PLC model, the teacher-participants guided their own professional development in the context of self-affirming practice. Since the research project was contextualized in the literature, the paper further discusses how this professional development model is ideally suited to meet the needs of teachers and students of the 21st Century. Lastly, it is suggested that this PLC model can be replicated in similar contexts by schools and school boards across the Golden Horseshoe.

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