Download or read book Teacher Perceptions Regarding Effective Professional Development Practices for Implementing Student Learning Objectives written by Christie L. Miller and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover teachers' perceptions about the extent to which professional development practices have been helpful in assisting teachers in the creation and implementation of Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) as well as how SLOs have affected teachers' instructional practices. Also, this study sought to discover teachers' perceptions of instructional practices learned through professional development and SLOs that may have led to student growth. The perceptions of 35 teachers from four rural school districts in northeastern Pennsylvania were obtained using an online survey. The teachers were elementary, middle, and high school teachers. The survey consisted of seven multiple choice items, 14 four-point Likert scale items, and eight open-ended response questions. Moreover, three teachers volunteered to participate in interviews consisting of six questions. The findings of this study showed mixed results about whether professional development on the SLO process has allowed teachers to be confident and comfortable when creating and implementing SLOs as well as whether SLOs have had an impact on their instructional practices. However, teachers felt that it was very beneficial to have professional learning communities (PLCs)/team meetings as well as training with a knowledgeable presenter; they also expressed a desire to be given examples of SLOs in order to become more comfortable with SLOs and the SLO process. The teachers also reported that they did not find their experience with the SLO process to be valuable or effective.

Download or read book Teacher Perceptions of Effects of Professional Development on Teaching Practice and Student Learning written by Imelda R. Castaňeda and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study sought to test whether multidimensional professional development programs are preferable to a traditional one, which, typically, consists of taking a graduate course. It compared teachers' perceptions about the effects of three programs for professional development on their teaching practice and student performance. Two of the programs, the Arts Integration Program and Job Shadowing Institute, were multidimensional models of professional development. The third was Technology Training, a traditional model of professional development. The purpose of the study was to contribute to the body of knowledge about teachers' perceptions of the effect of professional development on their teaching practice and their students' learning. The study included elementary, middle, and high school teachers as participants and survey respondents. It spanned three years. Descriptive data were collected to provide an accurate description of the three programs. Participant observations of professional development sessions, informal and formal interviews of teachers, administrators, and facilitators were among the data collection tools used during the first two years of the study to provide a detailed description of the actual programs. The main focus of the study was a survey of participants' perceptions of the effect of professional development on their teaching and their students' learning. Survey results indicated that teachers perceived that professional development could be most effective for improving their teaching practice and student learning when the professional development programs are intentional, on going, and systemic. The non-traditional, multidimensional professional development was found to be more effective than the traditional model. However, the results of the study also indicated that even a traditional model of professional development was perceived as having an impact on students' learning when applications were made to curricular content and when there was support for further training. Based on these findings, a model or 'scaffold' towards effective professional development was conceptualized using constructs and characteristics that might influence teaching practice and student learning. Results are discussed in the light of the limitations of the study, implications for education, and suggestions for future research.

Download or read book Design Principles for Teaching Effective Writing written by Raquel Fidalgo Redondo and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2017-11-20 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume aims to analyze validated intervention programs focused on: the teaching and learning of writing as a skill and the use of writing as a learning activity in various school subjects/skills.

Download or read book Teachers Perceptions of Their Literacy Professional Development written by Patrick Suber and published by AuthorHouse. This book was released on 2021-02-17 with total page 197 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Title-I schools, how adequately do administrators prepare teachers to implement new reading curriculums? The majority of students at these Title-I schools are from low-income families. Literature has indicated that families from low socioeconomic situations often depend heavily on schools to provide the foundational literacy skills their children need to become capable and lifelong readers (Teale, Paciga, & Hoffman, 2008).

Download or read book Teachers and Administrators Perceptions of Study Groups as a Form of Professional Development written by Donna Joan Murray and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: The purpose of this study was to add to the existing knowledge base concerning the teacher-led study group as an effective form of student centered professional development. Administrators' and teachers' perceptions concerning the effects of study group participation and the evidence of change to which they referred was the focus. Research showed that study group participation is gaining popularity as a form of professional development (Murphy & Lick, 2001). Study groups typically gather educators together to learn more about topics of their choice. Their goal is usually two-fold: to improve both teaching and student learning. At sessions colleagues reflect on experiences, share what is working, and cooperatively solves problems of implementation. Evidence indicates that collegial conversations increase teacher knowledge, stimulate new understanding, and encourage teachers to try new approaches they might not have had the courage to try. The following research questions stimulated this qualitative study: (1) What are administrators' perceptions about the role of study groups in meeting district-wide professional development goals? (2) What factors do participants consider important when participating in a study group as a form of professional development? (3) What are teachers' perceptions about the effects of study group participation on their own teaching practices and on their students' learning outcomes? (4) What types of evidence do teachers and administrators provide to support their perceptions of teaching and learning outcomes of study group participation? This study captured the perceptions of 25 teachers, three principals, and one assistant superintendent. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, observations, surveys, and document analysis. Results indicated that administrators perceived study groups as providing a way to introduce new ideas to the faculty, to get test results into the classroom, to connect to district-wide goals, and to provide an opportunity for reflection. The type of evidence that most administrators offered was large-scale test results. Teachers described situations involving taking responsibility for student learning, using best practices, and engaging in collaborative problem solving. They found evidence of change in daily observations and large-scale test results. In conclusion, the use of study groups as a form of professional development contributed to the creation of a stimulating environment that supported teachers' professional growth and provided a way to accomplish district-wide goals.

Download or read book Teacher Professional Development for Improving Quality of Teaching written by Bert Creemers and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-11-05 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book makes a major contribution to knowledge and theory by drawing implications of teacher effectiveness research for the field of teacher training and professional development. The first part of the book provides a critical review of research on teacher training and professional development and illustrates the limitations of the main approaches to teacher development such as the competence-based and the holistic approach. A dynamic perspective to policy and practice in teacher training and professional development is advocated. The second part of the book provides a critical review of research on teacher effectiveness. The main phases of this field of research are analysed. It is pointed out that teacher factors are presented as being in opposition to one another. An integrated approach in defining quality of teaching is adopted. The importance of taking into account findings of studies investigating differential teacher effectiveness is argued. Another significant limitation of this field of research is that the whole process of searching for teacher effectiveness factor was not able to have a significant impact upon teacher training and professional development. For this reason it is advocated that teacher training and professional development should be focused on how to address grouping of specific teacher factors associated with student learning and on how to help teachers improve their teaching skills by moving from using skills associated with direct teaching only to more advanced skills concerned with new teaching approaches and differentiation of teaching. The book refers to studies conducted in different countries illustrating how the proposed approach can be used by policy and practice in teacher education. Specifically, the book provides evidence supporting the validity of the theoretical framework upon which this approach is based. Moreover, experimental and longitudinal studies supporting the use of this approach for improvement purposes are presented and suggestions for further research utilising and expanding the Dynamic Approach for teacher training and professional development are provided.

Download or read book Designing and Implementing Effective Professional Learning written by John Murray and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2013-09-18 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For sustained success, educators must commit to their own lifelong improvement. A clear correlation exists between level of focus on teacher professional development (PD) and student success. In this book, John Murray identifies the characteristics of effective professional learning, detailing eight strategies for planning, and executing, and evaluating PD programs. Content includes: The proven “backward” approach to articulating the goals of your PD program Descriptions of innovative and effective designs for professional learning such as Lesson Study and Instructional Rounds Powerful approaches to designing and implementing online PD

Download or read book Reach the Highest Standard in Professional Learning Outcomes written by Delores B. Lindsey and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2015-06-18 with total page 121 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Professional development that increases educator effectiveness and student success! This volume gives teachers and administrators a detailed roadmap for implementing the Outcomes standard. Deepen you knowledge of this standard with: An original essay by Delores B. Lindsey and Randall B. Lindsey on using the lens of Cultural Proficiency to highlight the theme of educational equity that is embedded in the standard Practical tools that guide leaders in finding coherence between performance standards for educators and curriculum standards for students A powerful case study to illustrate how the standard was enacted across a major urban school district With this book, educators will reach new heights in professional growth and students will reap the benefits!

Download or read book The Power of Place written by Gwendolen Susanne Jacobs and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Professional development provides opportunities for teachers to acquire the knowledge needed to become experts in their classroom content and to improve their instructional skills to meet the needs of today's student learners. While districts and curriculum leaders work to improve professional development design, teachers' dissatisfaction with current professional development practices are still problematic. Teachers continue to find it ineffective, irrelevant, making them feel undervalued as professionals. This is evident in the rural educational setting. Rural educators need on-going, flexible, and job-embedded effective professional development to meet the specific needs of rural educators and their students. While few studies have examined teacher perception on professional development, even fewer studies focused on the rural place. This study provides educational leaders with a teacher's perspective on what effective professional development looks and feels like for rural educators. Using narrative analysis of five rural educators' interviews and drawing on Gruenewald's Critical Pedagogy of Place, this study sought to understand the experiences of five rural educators as they explored their personal histories, perceptions, and experiences in receiving effective professional development. The study is driven by three research questions to determine if teachers' perceptions of effective professional development is influenced by their own sense of place and how they identify within that place. These questions included the following: 1. How do teachers in a rural setting perceive building and district level professional development? 2. In what ways does sense of place inform teachers' perceptions of effective professional development? 3. In what ways do these perceptions inform teachers' decisions to act on their new learning? The key themes revealed participants acknowledged the challenges districts face when providing effective professional development and that it is most beneficial when connected to their specific needs. Most participants acknowledged the complexity of rural relationships and recognized how their personal histories and experiences helped make and enrich these relationships. The findings relative to the five participants' experiences and their stories also suggest rural teachers do not fully recognize the extent by which their own sense of place and place identity influenced their perceptions on their learning. This can have several implications for district leaders, professional development directors and for current and future rural educators. If district leaders and professional development directors want to see implementation of teacher learning in the classroom, providing purposeful professional development must not only address the specific needs of rural educators and their students but also consider what teachers bring to the rural context in relationship to their professional learning.

Download or read book Exploring Teachers Perceptions of Formal and Informal Professional Development written by Meagan England and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 126 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: According to researchers, teachers participated in professional development to improve practice and improve students learning outcomes (Wei, Darling-Hammond, Andree, Richardson, & Orphanos, 2009); however, there was little direct evidence related to what types of professional development were directly related to teachers implementing change in their classroom (Jaquith, Mindich, Wei, & Darling-Hammond, 2010; Wei, Darling-Hammond, & Adamson, 2010; Wei et al., 2009). The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify what instructional practices teacher implemented in their classroom after attending formal and informal professional development and to determine teachers' perceptions of their experiences with formal professional development. The researcher found that the data depicted six key themes related to professional development: 1) teacher-led, 2) teacher choice, 3) related to the classroom, 4) time for practice, 5) student engagement, and 6) content specific instructional practices.

Download or read book Easy and Effective Professional Development written by Catherine Beck and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-08-21 with total page 107 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Given the current economic climate and budget constraints facing schools, funding for professional development is continually reduced. And yet administrators still need to find methods to implement new instructional initiatives, such as the Common Core State Standards. This important book provides leaders with a high quality professional development approach at a low cost—the Peer Observation Process. Outlined in manageable steps, this strategy will help leaders implement any new school initiative or instructional method, no matter the context. This book will help you: -Support staff with job-embedded learning that includes reflection and feedback -Get your staff excited and engage them in ongoing collaboration -Create teams and organize schedules -Initiate and deliver tough conversations -Address accountability and measure success Based on an established and successful program, this book outlines an effective approach that is easy to implement and will help schools increase student achievement, strengthen school culture, and improve job satisfaction.

Download or read book Performance Based Assessment in 21st Century Teacher Education written by Winter, Kim K. and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2019-03-01 with total page 295 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Performance-based assessments can provide an adequate and more direct evaluation of teaching ability. As performance-based assessments become more prevalent in institutions across the United States, there is an opportunity to begin more closely analyzing the impact of standardized performance assessments and the relationship to variables such as success entering the workforce, program re-visioning for participating institutions, and the perceptions and efficacy of teacher candidates themselves. Performance-Based Assessment in 21st Century Teacher Education is a collection of innovative research that explores meaningful and engaging performance-based assessments and its applications and addresses larger issues of assessment including the importance of a balanced approach of assessing knowledge and skills. The book also offers tangible structures for making strong connections between theory and practice and offers advice on how these assessments are utilized as data sources related to preservice teacher performance. While highlighting topics including faculty engagement, online programs, and curriculum mapping, this book is ideally designed for educators, administrators, principals, school boards, professionals, researchers, faculty, and students.

Download or read book Transforming Professional Development into Student Results written by Douglas B. Reeves and published by ASCD. This book was released on 2012-05-29 with total page 171 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can we create and sustain professional learning programs that actually lead to improved student achievement? In this thoughtful and informative guide for teachers, administrators, and policymakers, Douglas B. Reeves provides answers. First he casts a critical eye on professional learning that is inconsistent, unfocused, and ultimately ineffective, and explains why elaborate planning documents and "brand-name" programs are not enough to achieve desired outcomes. Then he outlines how educators at all levels can improve this situation by * Taking specific steps to move from vision to implementation; * Focusing on four essentials: teaching, curriculum, assessment, and leadership; * Making action research work; * Moving beyond the "train the trainer" model; and * Using performance assessment systems for teachers and administrators. If you're tired of professional development that takes up too much time and delivers too little, read Transforming Professional Development into Student Results and discover how to move toward a system that gives educators the learning experiences they need to make a measurable difference for their schools and their students.

Download or read book Evaluating Professional Development written by Thomas R. Guskey and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2000 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explains how to better evaluate professional development in order to ensure that it increases student learning, providing questions for accurate measurement of professional development and showing how to demonstrate results and accountability.

Download or read book The Perception of Teacher Pathways on Professional Learning written by Lori Mae Alexandra Marie Amaro and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper explored the similarities and differences between teacher education pathways and perceptions that professional learning had on their teaching practices and teaching self-efficacy. Figuring out how to promote continual learning is critical no matter which pathway a teacher took to get their certification. Many barriers emerged when thinking about and discussing this topic, such as the experiences gained through teacher preparation programs; professional learning formats, content, and quality; district resource allowance; student learning needs; and application of professional learning. All of these elements can influence teachers' perceptions surrounding professional learning. As educators experience learning opportunities, successful implementation is necessary to see changes in instructional practices, student outcomes, and teacher beliefs and attitudes. The purpose of this study was to explore how elementary ELA teachers in a large Midwestern school district, coming from various pathways into education, perceived professional learning on their classroom practices and teaching self-efficacy. This case study took a qualitative approach by utilizing quantitative data to describe educators' perceptions. Throughout the study, methods including, surveys, philosophy statements, interviews, classroom observations, field notes, and participant journals, collected data, which assisted in understanding teacher perceptions. Coded and analyzed data formed categories that organized perceptions by professional learning perceptions on teaching practices, professional learning perceptions on teaching self-efficacy, and professional learning perceptions on teaching self-efficacy for those serving students of various populations. Sub-categories broke down the broad categories into definitions/understandings of professional learning and teaching self-efficacy, positive perceptions, and negative perceptions. Other data collected provided connections between perceptions and practices. Participants in this study came from pathways, such as traditional, long-term substitute, accelerated, and other. The results showed that educators need continued support through specialized professional learning, as participants described gaps in their learning that need addressed. Limited professional learning with ReadyGen created a learning gap for teachers. All participants perceived a lack of preparation in working with students of various populations. The conclusion showed that participants, other than the accelerated pathway participant, did not contribute the influence of professional learning to their teaching practices. The conclusion of this study described the need for more specialized learning, especially as new teachers enter the profession, to ensure they are prepared to work in with the diverse students they encounter. In conclusion, recommendations included to continuation of professional learning in smaller settings and an examination of many professional learning aspects within the district.

Download or read book Professional Development written by Sally J. Zepeda and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-10-02 with total page 333 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This top-selling book will serve as the compass and road map to your school’s professional development journey. A comprehensive and authoritative resource you will go to again and again, this book helps guide principals, directors of professional development, school/district committees, and other leaders in creating an effective professional development program that moves ideas from knowledge to action. Topics include: Learning Communities Job-Embedded Learning Coaching Teacher Study Groups Critical Friends Lesson Study Portfolios And more! Additionally, this book features helpful case studies, useful forms and templates, sample agendas, and other invaluable resources for professional development. The second edition contains the following enhancements: Expanded coverage of job-embedded learning, which is a cost-effective way for administrators to enhance professional development with their staff More information on the theoretical grounding of professional development with applications that can be readily adapted for use in schools Updated references and figures to reflect newly published literature on the topics covered User-friendly tabs, so you can find and return to your favorite sections time after time

Download or read book Teacher Perceptions of Effective Professional Development that Foster Personal Expertise written by Debra Rust and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In January and February of 2009, 19 teachers and 4 administrators were interviewed about their feelings concerning the professional development availability in their schools, how it met their needs, and how teacher learning impacted improved student learning. Participants were asked 15 open-ended questions. The study was designed to discover what processes teachers use to self-assess their own personal goals for professional development and how teachers internalize these needs to improve student learning.