Download or read book Improving Professional Learning through In house Inquiry written by David Middlewood and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-11-19 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Improving Professional Learning through In-House Inquiry shows how to identify the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) needs of an individual or team and then to meet those needs through carrying out specific inquiry within the organisation. Middlewood and Abbott demonstrate how the most effective professional learning occurs when the the needs of an organisation are identified at all levels and provide clear support for following this approach. The authors also show that effective student involvement is key because it clearly links CPD with the ultimate aim: to meet students' learning needs. Examples of how this has been achieved successfully in schools and colleges are drawn on throughout, showcasing a variety of settings in various countries. Four extended case studies from different types of educational institutions are provided to illustrate learning journeys.

Download or read book Improving Professional Learning Through In house Inquiry written by David Middlewood and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Improving Professional Learning through In-House Inquiry shows how to identify the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) needs of an individual or team and then to meet those needs through carrying out specific inquiry within the organisation. Middlewood and Abbott demonstrate how the most effective professional learning occurs when the the needs of an organisation are identified at all levels and provide clear support for following this approach. The authors also show that effective student involvement is key because it clearly links CPD with the ultimate aim: to meet students' learning needs. Examples of how this has been achieved successfully in schools and colleges are drawn on throughout, showcasing a variety of settings in various countries. Four extended case studies from different types of educational institutions are provided to illustrate learning journeys."--Bloomsbury Publishing.

Download or read book Connecting Inquiry and Professional Learning in Education written by Anne Campbell and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-03-07 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How might inquiry enhance the professional practice of student and practising teachers, teacher educators and other practitioners? What effect might this have on the learning of young people in and outside of the classroom? Based on the findings of an international colloquium and drawing upon a range of practices from the UK, USA, Canada, Europe and Australia, this book is designed to make explicit the connections between Practitioner Inquiry and Teacher Professional Learning in Initial Teacher Education and Ongoing Teacher Professional Development. Considering issues such as the relationship between practitioner inquiry and pedagogical content knowledge whether it is possible to scale up from small local and intensive innovations to more broadly-based inquiry inquiry’s role in professional identity, both individual and communal prevailing socio-political contexts and consequences for social policy formation. It brings together writers who work in designing teacher education courses, and those who are practice-based researchers and policy makers. Crucially, many of these writers inhabit both spheres, and their accounts of how they successfully combine their multiple roles will prove vital reading for all those involved in examining and improving practice leading to enhanced teacher professional learning.

Download or read book Professional Learning Communities at Work written by Richard DuFour and published by Solution Tree. This book was released on 1998 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides specific information on how to transform schools into results-oriented professional learning communities, describing the best practices that have been used by schools nationwide.

Download or read book Leading Professional Learning Communities written by Shirley M. Hord and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2008-02-01 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Hord is the originator of the triple-headed concept of professional learning communities. Sommers is an experienced administrator and past president of the National Staff Development Council. With the authors′ extensive backgrounds in educational evaluation and the implementation of school change and development, they are uniquely equipped to delineate and defend a particular vision of professional learning communities that has educational depth, professional richness, and moral integrity." —From the Foreword by Andy Hargreaves "The most important volume available to help principals undertake the challenging yet exhilarating work of building true communities of professional learning." —Joseph Murphy, Professor Vanderbilt University "The book does not gloss over the challenges that leaders will encounter. The authors draw upon rich research evidence and personal experiences and offer many practical, proven change strategies. This is a valuable resource for any educational leader who wishes to become a ′head learner.′" —Arthur L. Costa, Professor Emeritus California State University, Sacramento "Hord and Sommers create a powerful bridge between the research base on PLCs and practitioner knowledge and action. The book′s dual focus on principles and ′rocks in the road′ provide a grounded basis for school leaders. A dog-eared copy should be in every principal′s office and in every professional developer′s tool kit." —Karen Seashore Louis, Rodney S. Wallace Professor University of Minnesota, Minneapolis "The authors′ rationale and suggestions will resonate because they come from experience and great insight. The bottom line remains steadfast for these two distinguished educators: you implement a PLC so that teachers learn and students achieve. This text will help educators reach toward that compelling vision." —Stephanie Hirsh, Executive Director National Staff Development Council Imagine all professionals in all schools engaged in continuous professional learning! Current research shows a strong positive relationship between successful professional learning communities and increased student achievement. In this practical and reader-friendly guide, education experts Shirley M. Hord and William A. Sommers explore the school-based learning opportunities offered to school professionals and the principal′s critical role in the development of an effective professional learning community (PLC). This book provides school leaders with readily accessible information to guide them in developing a PLC that supports teachers and students. The authors cover building a vision for a PLC, implementing structures, creating policies and procedures, and developing the leadership skills required for initiating and sustaining a learning community. Each chapter includes meaningful quotes from the field, "rocks in the road" and ways to overcome them, examples from real PLCs, and learning activities to reinforce chapter content. The text illustrates how this research-based school improvement model can help educators: Increase leadership capacity Embed professional development into daily work Create a positive school culture Develop accountability Boost student achievement Discover how you can grow a vital community of professionals who work together to increase their effectiveness and strengthen the relationship between professional learning and student learning.

Download or read book Professional Capital written by Andy Hargreaves and published by Teachers College Press. This book was released on 2015-04-24 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The future of learning depends absolutely on the future of teaching. In this latest and most important collaboration, Andy Hargreaves and Michael Fullan show how the quality of teaching is captured in a compelling new idea: the professional capital of every teacher working together in every school. Speaking out against policies that result in a teaching force that is inexperienced, inexpensive, and exhausted in short order, these two world authorities--who know teaching and leadership inside out--set out a groundbreaking new agenda to transform the future of teaching and public education. Ideas-driven, evidence-based, and strategically powerful, Professional Capital combats the tired arguments and stereotypes of teachers and teaching and shows us how to change them by demanding more of the teaching profession and more from the systems that support it. This is a book that no one connected with schools can afford to ignore. This book features: (1) a powerful and practical solution to what ails American schools; (2) Action guidelines for all groups--individual teachers, administrators, schools and districts, state and federal leaders; (3) a next-generation update of core themes from the authors' bestselling book, "What's Worth Fighting for in Your School?" [This book was co-published with the Ontario Principals' Council.].

Download or read book The Reflective Educator s Guide to Professional Development written by Nancy Fichtman Dana and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2008-05-01 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A tool box overflowing with ideas that will help every staff developer craft a school culture hospitable to adult and student learning." —Roland S. Barth, Author, Lessons Learned "The book speaks to many audiences, including instructional coaches, PLC leaders, action researchers and group leaders, and university professors working with action researchers and PLCs." —Gail Ritchie, Coleader, Teacher Researcher Network Fairfax County Public Schools, VA "A terrific resource for connecting teacher networks and action research to create powerful professional development opportunities. This book is a joy to read." —Ellen Meyers, Senior Vice President Teachers Network Powerful tools for facilitating teachers′ professional development and optimizing school improvement efforts! Professional learning communities (PLCs) and action research are popular and proven frameworks for professional development. While both can greatly improve teaching and learning, few resources have combined the two practices into one coherent approach. The Reflective Educator′s Guide to Professional Development provides educators with strategies, activities, and tools to develop inquiry-oriented PLCs. Nationally known school reform experts Nancy Fichtman Dana and Diane Yendol-Hoppey cover the ten essential elements of a healthy PLC, provide case studies of actual inquiry-based PLCs, and present lessons learned to help good coaches become great coaches. With this step-by-step guide, readers will be able to: Organize, assess, and maintain high-functioning, inquiry-oriented PLCs Facilitate the development of study questions Establish the trust and collective commitment necessary for successful action research Enable PLC members to develop, analyze, and share research results Lead successful renewal and reform efforts By combining two powerful training practices, coaches, workshop leaders, and staff developers can ensure continuous, robust school-based professional development.

Download or read book Professional Learning from Classroom Based Inquiries written by Jyoti Rookshana Jhagroo and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-10-31 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides authentic practice-based inquiries by pre-service teachers. Their reflective narratives showcase their individual inquiries as they navigated their self-chosen professional learning journeys through the teaching as inquiry framework. The narratives advance what it means to be a reflective practitioner in practice and highlight necessary dispositional skill sets to attain valuable professional learning through inquiry. Through an inquiry stance, pre-service teachers are liberated from being knowledge consumers to local knowledge producers relevant to their practice. The dissonance this shift creates, negates the ‘comfortable doing’ of teaching to make the act of teaching authentic, relevant, and powerful.

Download or read book Guided Inquiry written by Carol C. Kuhlthau and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2015-10-13 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This dynamic approach to an exciting form of teaching and learning will inspire students to gain insights and complex thinking skills from the school library, their community, and the wider world. Guided inquiry is a way of thinking, learning, and teaching that changes the culture of a school into a collaborative inquiry community. Global interconnectedness calls for new skills, new knowledge, and new ways of learning to prepare students with the abilities and competencies they need to meet the challenges of a changing world. The challenge for the information-age school is to educate students for living and working in this information-rich technological environment. At the core of being educated today is knowing how to learn and innovate from a variety of sources. Through guided inquiry, students see school learning and real life meshed in meaningful ways. They develop higher order thinking and strategies for seeking meaning, creating, and innovating. Today's schools are challenged to develop student talent, coupling the rich resources of the school library with those of the community and wider world. How well are you preparing your students to draw on the knowledge and wisdom of the past while using today's technology to advance new discoveries in the future? This book is the introduction to guided inquiry. It is the place to begin to consider and plan how to develop an inquiry learning program for your students.

Download or read book The Transformative Power of Collaborative Inquiry written by Jenni Donohoo and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2016-05-13 with total page 137 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Foster reflective teacher leadership and make real change happen! Teachers are powerful change agents in the on-going process of school improvement. This insightful, must-read companion guide to Donohoo’s best-selling Collaborative Inquiry for Educators helps school leaders develop a sustainable professional learning culture. Practical suggestions and in-depth research shed light on your path as you explore the benefits and challenges of adopting authentic teacher collaboration across schools and districts. Learn valuable lessons from leaders in the field and discover: A rationale and framework for engaging in inquiry The vital conditions needed to ensure systemwide collaboration Common pitfalls and the four stages of school improvement

Download or read book Educators as Learners written by Penelope J. Wald and published by ASCD. This book was released on 2000-02-15 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can schools develop a shared vision that embraces the aspiration of all members of the school community? How can members of a learning community work together to build the knowledge and processes needed for student success? This book describes a professional development model that supports educators and families in learning and growing together. It offers a theoretical framework and practical guidance for renewing the capacity of schools to produce positive results for all children. * Part I: Cornerstones discusses concepts, assumptions, and leadership qualities of an effective school-based staff development model. * Part II: Process presents lively case studies and activities that show how to build professional learning communities. It describes strategies to help teams engage in meaningful dialogue and discovery. * Part III: Tools for Learning is filled with practical, field-tested staff development tools that complement the process of building school-based professional learning communities. This book embraces principles of collegiality, inquiry, learning, and community. It is written by practitioners for practitioners in the hope that collegial learning will be a renewing force in schools during these times of change. Note: This product listing is for the Adobe Acrobat (PDF) version of the book.

Download or read book Fostering a Culture of Inquiry Through Professional Learning Communities written by Erin A. Hay and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 236 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This case study of a school district change initiative, the implementation of professional learning communities (PLCs), is a narrative reflection from the perspective of a district leader in the role of Learning Communities Coordinator. The district’s goal was to build teacher capacity to improve student achievement by establishing a PLC framework and a culture of inquiry to support teachers’ professional learning. Sources of data include the researcher’s personal narrative with input from the district Superintendent and Director of Instruction. The author describes the steps, missteps, and leadership learning gained from the first two years of a five year initiative. Fullan’s (2007) stages of innovation and recommended components for district-wide reform as well as Kaser and Halbert’s (2009) leadership mindsets contribute to the analysis of the narrative. New understandings generated from this study may inform other school district leaders as they embark upon similar initiatives."--Leaf ii.

Download or read book Leading Professional Learning Teams written by Susan E. Sather and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2009-09-01 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Developed by Education Northwest (formerly NWREL), this guide offers a data-driven model for implementing professional learning teams to strengthen teacher collaboration, improve instruction, and increase student achievement.

Download or read book Inquiry written by Nancy Fichtman Dana and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2011-09-06 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Connect inquiry to improved teaching and learning across your district! Now that federal and state initiatives require school districts to provide job-embedded professional development, the next step is making it happen. This book helps districts define, develop, and implement a systematic inquiry-based process with a laser-like focus on both adult and student learning. This book’s inquiry model challenges educators and students to: Define questions they are passionate about exploring Collect and analyze data to inform their questions Share what they have learned through the process with others Collaborate to build on their results and improve student achievement

Download or read book Redesigning Continuing Education in the Health Professions written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2010-03-12 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Today in the United States, the professional health workforce is not consistently prepared to provide high quality health care and assure patient safety, even as the nation spends more per capita on health care than any other country. The absence of a comprehensive and well-integrated system of continuing education (CE) in the health professions is an important contributing factor to knowledge and performance deficiencies at the individual and system levels. To be most effective, health professionals at every stage of their careers must continue learning about advances in research and treatment in their fields (and related fields) in order to obtain and maintain up-to-date knowledge and skills in caring for their patients. Many health professionals regularly undertake a variety of efforts to stay up to date, but on a larger scale, the nation's approach to CE for health professionals fails to support the professions in their efforts to achieve and maintain proficiency. Redesigning Continuing Education in the Health Professions illustrates a vision for a better system through a comprehensive approach of continuing professional development, and posits a framework upon which to develop a new, more effective system. The book also offers principles to guide the creation of a national continuing education institute.

Download or read book Science Teachers Learning written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2016-01-15 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Currently, many states are adopting the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) or are revising their own state standards in ways that reflect the NGSS. For students and schools, the implementation of any science standards rests with teachers. For those teachers, an evolving understanding about how best to teach science represents a significant transition in the way science is currently taught in most classrooms and it will require most science teachers to change how they teach. That change will require learning opportunities for teachers that reinforce and expand their knowledge of the major ideas and concepts in science, their familiarity with a range of instructional strategies, and the skills to implement those strategies in the classroom. Providing these kinds of learning opportunities in turn will require profound changes to current approaches to supporting teachers' learning across their careers, from their initial training to continuing professional development. A teacher's capability to improve students' scientific understanding is heavily influenced by the school and district in which they work, the community in which the school is located, and the larger professional communities to which they belong. Science Teachers' Learning provides guidance for schools and districts on how best to support teachers' learning and how to implement successful programs for professional development. This report makes actionable recommendations for science teachers' learning that take a broad view of what is known about science education, how and when teachers learn, and education policies that directly and indirectly shape what teachers are able to learn and teach. The challenge of developing the expertise teachers need to implement the NGSS presents an opportunity to rethink professional learning for science teachers. Science Teachers' Learning will be a valuable resource for classrooms, departments, schools, districts, and professional organizations as they move to new ways to teach science.

Download or read book Collaborative Inquiry for Educators written by Jenni Donohoo and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2013-05-02 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Your step-by-step guide to making collaboration work Collaborating for improved student outcomes makes sense. But beyond theory, do you know where to begin? Aligned to current Learning Forward standards and based on the latest research, this book deconstructs the collaborative inquiry process. This step-by-step guide gives facilitators tools to move teams toward purposeful, productive collaborative work with: A clear and concise four-stage model that provides a structure for facilitating successful collaborative inquiry Real-world examples from collaborative teams that model components of each stage Clear, direct, and practitioner-focused tone with an emphasis on action over theory