An Exploration of Learner-Centered Professional Development for Reluctant Math Teachers

2017 ◽  
pp. 181-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ardyth Foster ◽  
Joshua Lambert ◽  
Jackie HeeYoung Kim
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Training ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Teacher Practices ◽  
Effective Professional Development ◽  
Math Teachers ◽  
Learner Centered ◽  
Real Issue ◽  
Professional Development For Teachers ◽  
The Impact

In recent studies, researchers found that, while 90 percent of teachers reported participating in professional development, most of those teachers reported that it was not effective for improving their practice (Darling-Hammond et al., 2009; Garet, Porter, Desimone, Birman, & Yoon, 2001; Desimone, Porter, Garet, Yoon, & Birman, 2002; Corcoran & Foley, 2003). These findings indicate that the real issue is not that teachers are not provided with professional development, but that the typical modes of professional development are ineffective at changing teacher practices and/or student learning. Therefore, there is a need to explore new ways of conducting effective professional development for teachers. This study investigates a learner-centered model of professional development, which is designed to maximize the impact of teacher training on student learning.

The Impact of New Technologies on Professional Development

2013 ◽  
pp. 40-52
Author(s):  
Sarah T. Meltzer
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Student Achievement ◽  
21St Century ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Effective Professional Development ◽  
The Past ◽  
New Learning ◽  
Specific Activities ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Support Students

Professional development in schools is not a new concept; however, the impact of new technologies in the past two decades has shown it is important to incorporate research-based strategies in order to be effective. While strategies for curriculum-focused trainings may have been effective in the past, technology-focused training must take a different approach in the 21st century. Effective professional development will positively impact student achievement and is critical for sustainable school reform. This chapter addresses the importance of developing a new learning environment conducive to supporting professional development in technology. Key strategies necessary to support students’ needs in the 21st century are explained. Without an emphasis on specific activities and opportunities throughout the phases of planning and implementation, professional development will not be sustainable and student achievement will not be impacted.

Leveraging a Professional Development School Project to Address Students' Learning in Elementary School Mathematics

2016 ◽  
pp. 1537-1546
Author(s):  
Drew Polly
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Elementary School ◽  
Professional Development School ◽  
University Faculty ◽  
Learning Needs ◽  
Elementary School Mathematics ◽  
School Project ◽  
Learner Centered ◽  
School Partnership ◽  
The Impact

This chapter presents the partnership between a university faculty member and an elementary school that started to address students' learning needs regarding mathematics. This chapter provides: a) an overview of learner-centered professional development as a framework for this Professional Development School partnership, b) a description of the various professional development activities, c) and a summary of the impact of the project on instruction and student achievement. The chapter closes with recommendations for establishing and maintaining PDS partnerships focused on addressing students' learning needs.

Bridging the Research-to-Practice Gap Through Effective Professional Development for Teachers Working With Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Talida M. State ◽  
Brandi Simonsen ◽  
Regina G. Hirn ◽  
Howard Wills
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Classroom Management ◽  
Behavioral Disorders ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Emotional And Behavioral Disorders ◽  
Internalizing Behavior ◽  
Dropping Out ◽  
Effective Professional Development ◽  
Professional Development For Teachers ◽  
Students With Ebd

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) experience a variety of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems, gaps in academic achievement, and increased rates of dropping out of school. Thus, it is essential that students with EBD receive evidence-based academic and behavioral supports from skilled and knowledgeable teachers to improve student outcomes. Unfortunately, teachers typically receive limited professional development in classroom management practices and other supports targeting the unique needs of students with EBD. In this manuscript, we describe (a) challenges in the field related to supporting students with EBD, (b) current practices in professional development, (c) a multitiered-system-of-support framework for organizing and providing professional development, and (d) the need for more research on efficient and effective professional-development supports for teachers of students with EBD.

Teacher awareness and understandings about Aboriginal English in Western Australia

2011 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhonda Oliver ◽  
Judith Rochecouste ◽  
Samantha Vanderford ◽  
Ellen Grote
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Methods ◽  
Aboriginal Students ◽  
Professional Development For Teachers ◽  
Australian English ◽  
The Impact

Repeated assessments of literacy skills have shown that Aboriginal students do not achieve at the same level as their non-Aboriginal peers. Many Aboriginal students speak Aboriginal English, a dialect different from the Standard Australian English used in schools. Research shows that it is crucial for educators in bidialectal contexts to be aware of students’ home language and to adopt appropriate educational responses. For over a decade, the ABC of Two-Way Literacy and Learning Professional Development Program has sought to improve outcomes for Aboriginal students in Western Australia. By promoting a two-way bidialectal approach to learning, Aboriginal English is valued, accommodated and used to bridge to learning in Standard Australian English. This paper draws on a large research project, which used qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate the impact of the on-going professional development for teachers. It reports on the attitudes and understandings of teachers, with and without professional development and working in different contexts.

scholarly journals Best Practices in Teachers’ Professional Development in the United States

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura M. DESIMONE ◽  
Michael S. GARET
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
United States ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Classroom Behavior ◽  
The United States ◽  
Teacher Mobility ◽  
Effective Professional Development ◽  
Professional Development For Teachers ◽  
Urban Contexts ◽  
Teachers Professional Development

ABSTRACT: This paper discusses best practices in teachers’ professional development (PD) in the United States (U.S.). We begin by presenting a conceptual framework for effective professional development, which suggests five key features that make professional development effective—content focus, active learning, coherence, sustained duration, and collective participation. We then describe the findings from recent U.S. research that has tested the five features, with an emphasis on the results of rigorous randomized control trials. We discuss several insights gained from this work and that have helped refine the framework. They are that (a) changing procedural classroom behavior is easier than improving content knowledge or inquiry-oriented instruction techniques; (b) teachers vary in response to the same PD; (c) PD is more successful when it is explicitly linked to classroom lessons; (d) PD research and implementation must allow for urban contexts (e.g., student and teacher mobility); and (e) leadership plays a key role in supporting and encouraging teachers to implement in the classroom the ideas and strategies they learned in the PD. We then examine three major trends in how professional development for teachers is evolving in the U.S.—a move away from short workshops, linking teacher PD to evaluations, and the use of video technology to improve and monitor the effects of PD. Finally, we discuss the challenges faced by districts and schools in implementing effective professional development.

scholarly journals How Does Professional Development Impact on  Teachers' Use of an Interactive Whiteboard  in New Zealand Primary Classrooms?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Robyn Grover
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Qualitative Case Study ◽  
Interactive Whiteboard ◽  
Teacher Pedagogy ◽  
Effective Professional Development ◽  
Primary Classrooms ◽  
Multi Media ◽  
The Impact

<p>My research examined how professional development impacts on teachers' use of an interactive whiteboard in New Zealand primary classrooms. The research, in the form of a survey and qualitative case study, specifically looked at the professional development experienced by teachers with an IWB and contextual factors that enhance and constrain the introduction of an IWB for teachers learning to use it in their class programme. It also explored how an IWB is used in the classroom programme. Sociocultural theory provided the theoretical framework to analyse the data. The findings of the research showed that professional development featured as both an enhancing and constraining factor. This was determined by the content of the activity. Sustained professional development appeared to have the most impact on teachers' IWB use. The data examined how and why teachers like to use an IWB, and the impact of the unique and multi-media features of the IWB had on teacher pedagogy and students. Recommendations are made for effective professional development for IWB users and areas for further research are discussed.</p>

scholarly journals Factors affecting the impact of professional development programs on teachers' knowledge, practice, student outcomes & efficacy.

2005 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence Ingvarson ◽  
Marion Meiers ◽  
Adrian Beavis
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Active Learning ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Professional Community ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Knowledge Practice ◽  
Professional Development Programs ◽  
The Impact

This report examines effects of structural and process features of professional development programs on teachers' knowledge, practice and efficacy. It is based on four recent (2002-2003) studies undertaken through the Australian Government Quality Teacher Programme, designed to enhance teacher quality. The total data set for the survey study includes 3,250 teachers who had participated in eighty individual professional development1 activities within these studies. Teachers were surveyed at least three months after participating in an activity, which provided them with the opportunity to gauge the impact of programs on their practice. To investigate factors affecting impact, a theoretical model was developed based on recent research into the characteristics of effective professional development and tested using blockwise regression analysis. The model included contextual factors (e.g., school support), structural features of programs (e.g. ,length), process features (e.g., emphasis on content; active learning; examination of student work; feedback; follow-up), a mediating variable (level of professional community generated), and four outcome measures (knowledge; practice; student learning and efficacy). Consistent significant direct effects were found across the four studies for the impact of content focus, active learning, and follow-up on knowledge and professional community. Feedback was rarely incorporated into program design. Impact on efficacy was strongly related to the perceived impact of activities on teachers' practice and student learning outcomes.

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