Download or read book Effects of Strategically Designed Professional Development Experiences on Teacher Perceptions of Response to Interventions Tier 1 Instructional Strategies written by Marie Anderson-Smolinski and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this research study was to determine the effects of strategically designed professional development experiences on teacher perceptions of use of tier 1 response to intervention instructional strategies. This study was motivated by recent changes in course offerings in a general education Language Arts Department at a high school. Staff members from the English Language Arts Department along with the Special Education Department collaborated to address how to effectively meet the needs of a more heterogeneous mix of students in their general education classrooms. Pre and post surveys were used to collect quantitative data to strategically design, administer, and evaluate the effects professional development experiences to general and special education teachers. Based on the results of these baseline surveys and conversations with both special and general education teachers, the tier 1 instructional strategies of co-teaching in the inclusionary setting and differentiation were identified as essential strategies to improve to meet the needs of all students. Following the professional development experiences, the post survey was used to analyze and evaluate the effects the professional development experiences had on the teachers' perceptions of both the priority of and confidence in use of the identified response to intervention tier 1 instruction strategies.

Download or read book Taking Charge of Professional Development written by Joseph H. H. Semadeni and published by ASCD. This book was released on 2010-06-06 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How can every teacher, school, and district improve the quality of their schools? The answer is to empower teachers to take charge of their own learning, says author and teacher Joseph H. Semadeni. In this book, you'll learn how the Fusion professional development model can help you do just that. This accessible, customizable, and affordable model gives you proven ways to successfully establish teaching and learning practices that are grounded in solid educational research. In some schools, you may wish to begin the program with just a few teachers and let it gain recognition, support, and buy-in from the biggest skeptics. In other schools, the whole staff may be inspired to create their own lists of best practices, funding levels, and new school-day schedules. In both scenarios, schools have successfully implemented Fusion where it was needed the most. What's most appealing to teachers is that this approach gives them the chance to determine what strategies they want to learn, how much professional development they want to access, and when it best fits their schedules. As teachers learn, use, observe, and are observed practicing the strategies in their classrooms, they determine which practices best fit their students and foster achievement. With experience, teachers become eligible for related pay increases and Fusion helps teachers to foster the qualities, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to establish and nurture a collaborative culture within the school community.

Download or read book Tenured and Non tenured Teacher Perceptions of the Impact of District Designed Professional Development Courses on Classroom Practice written by Joan Wrobleski Whitman and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Designers of professional development training often presume that teachers are able to apply new concepts classroom practice, but fail to include teacher voice, provide systemic follow-up, collegial support, and evaluation (Guskey, 2002; Joyce & Calhoun, 2010; McAdams, 2007). The study investigated differences between new, non-tenured and experienced, tenured teacher perceptions of the impact of one or more graduate courses offered through a school district designed professional development program. Participation was voluntary for experienced teachers and mandatory for new teachers. The study also explored teacher perceptions of impact on classroom practice based on Guskey's (2000) Five Critical Levels of Professional Development Evaluation. This case study utilized mixed methods and included a researcher-generated survey and three focus groups. The sample was comprised of prek-12 teachers from a Midwest, urban school district. Teachers revealed their perceptions of impact on classroom practice by identifying one or more researcher-generated Impact Statements linked to each course. The study concluded that teachers perceived only one graduate course had a significant impact on classroom practice. Tenured teachers reported course topics and activities related to their learning needs but did not impact classroom practice. Non-tenured teachers concluded that the graduate course topics were similar to the undergraduate level, should not be mandatory, and did not meet the professional needs of new teachers. Teachers also evaluated course impact in relationship to Levels 1 and 2 of Guskey's (2000) Five Critical Levels of Professional Development Evaluation, but not sufficient to impact change in classroom practice and student learning. The implications of the study suggest the need for prek-12 organizations to address learning needs according to tenure and engage teachers and adminstrators as collaborative partners in the design, implementation, and evaluation of professional development. Professional development would have greater value if school district efforts included research-designed models, such as Guskey's (2000) and Joyce and Showers (1987), which purposefully focus on the transfer of knowledge and skills from the workshop to the workplace. Moreover, the credibility of school leaders would improve if they assumed an active role in learning with teachers and providing resources necessary to change teacher practice to impact student outcomes.

Download or read book Visible Learning written by John Hattie and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2008-11-19 with total page 389 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This unique and ground-breaking book is the result of 15 years research and synthesises over 800 meta-analyses on the influences on achievement in school-aged students. It builds a story about the power of teachers, feedback, and a model of learning and understanding. The research involves many millions of students and represents the largest ever evidence based research into what actually works in schools to improve learning. Areas covered include the influence of the student, home, school, curricula, teacher, and teaching strategies. A model of teaching and learning is developed based on the notion of visible teaching and visible learning. A major message is that what works best for students is similar to what works best for teachers – an attention to setting challenging learning intentions, being clear about what success means, and an attention to learning strategies for developing conceptual understanding about what teachers and students know and understand. Although the current evidence based fad has turned into a debate about test scores, this book is about using evidence to build and defend a model of teaching and learning. A major contribution is a fascinating benchmark/dashboard for comparing many innovations in teaching and schools.

Download or read book Designing Schools for Meaningful Professional Learning written by Janice Bradley and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2014-11-26 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Empower your teachers as partners in professional learning—and see student achievement soar! Are you ready for a professional learning program that makes a lasting difference in the quality of teaching within your school or district? Janice Bradley, a highly-respected educator shows how to promote your faculty’s professional growth and accountability through job-embedded learning. This breakthrough book enables education leaders to Work collaboratively with faculty to develop and implement a five-part plan for professional learning designed to meet your school’s unique needs Connect professional learning with practices that have the greatest positive effect in the classroom Link professional development to teacher evaluation in a manner that builds trust Learn best practices from schools that implemented Bradley’s methodology, and benefit from user-friendly strategies and tools Say goodbye to top-down programming that’s quickly forgotten, and discover an approach that empowers and inspires your faculty at all levels of experience. "It′s hard to imagine a simple, five-step process that could integrate all of Learning Forward′s seven professional learning standards, yet that is exactly what Janice Bradley has done in the book, Designing Schools for Meaningful Professional Learning." —Patricia Roy, Senior Consultant Learning Forward Center for Results "I’ve never experienced professional learning such as this! Taking part in collaborative learning with my team gave me the opportunity to explore questions and curiosities about my students that have been buried in years of district-driven professional development. Now my colleagues and I research together in order to create a learning environment every child deserves." —Kathryn Million, First-Grade Dual Language Teacher Las Cruces, NM

Download or read book Assessing Impact written by Joellen Killion and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2017-11-08 with total page 327 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Design high-impact professional learning programs with results-based evaluations With increasing accountability pressure for evidence-based strategies and ever-tightening budgets, you want to make sure that the time, effort, and resources you are investing in your professional learning programs is truly making an impact on educator effectiveness and student achievement. In this third edition of Assessing Impact, Joellen Killion guides administrators, professional learning leaders, school improvement teams, and evaluators step by step through the rigors of producing an effective, in-depth, results-based analysis of your professional learning programs. A recognized expert in professional learning, Killion emphasizes the critical role of evaluation in bolstering effectiveness and retaining stakeholder support for ongoing educator development. The methods outlined here help you: Adhere to changes in federal and state policy relating to professional learning and educator development Facilitate the use of extensive datasets crucial for measuring feasibility, equity, sustainability, and impact of professional learning Produce more powerful, data-driven professional learning programs that benefit both students and educators Evaluate the effectiveness and impact of professional learning to make data-informed decisions and increase quality and results Assessing Impact is a vital resource for staff developers and educational leaders seeking to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of professional learning, while retaining the support of parents and the public alike. Praise for the Second Edition: "Anyone who reads this book has to feel obligated to ′set their world on fire.′ The text not only forces the reader to see how we are failing our children and their teachers, it provides the means for each of us to do better." —Michael J. Ford, Superintendent Phelps-Clifton Springs CSD, Clifton Springs, NY

Download or read book Supporting Teachers Professional Development written by Ashley S. MacSuga-Gage and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 486 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

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 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 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 Research in Education written by and published by . This book was released on 1974 with total page 1280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Teachers Caught in the Action written by Ann Lieberman and published by Teachers College Press. This book was released on 2001-04-27 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Because what we do in staff development can best be understood in terms of Contexts, Strategies, and Structures, the remainder of the book features distinguished educators who write from their own unique experiential and theoretical stances. Jacqueline Ancess describes how teachers in New York City secondary schools increase their own learning while improving student outcomes • Milbrey W. McLaughlin and Joel Zarrow demonstrate how teachers learn to use data to improve their practice and meet educational standards • Lynne Miller presents a case study of a long-lived school, university partnership • Beverly Falk recounts stories of teachers working together to develop performance assessments, to understand their student’s learning, to re-think their curriculum, and much more • Laura Stokes analyzes a school that successfully uses inquiry groups. There are further contributions (including some from novice teachers) by Anna Richert Ershler, Ann Lieberman, Diane Wood, Sarah Warshauer Freedman, and Joseph P. McDonald. These powerful exemplars from practice provide a much-needed overview of what matters and what really works in professional development today.

Download or read book Powerful Professional Development written by Diane Yendol-Hoppey and published by Corwin Press. This book was released on 2010-02-09 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "I love, love, love this book! This smorgasbord of professional development strategies maximizes time and on-site expertise. From the perspective of educators hungry for cost-effective, proven ways to promote ongoing, job-embedded professional learning, this is an à la carte menu for building healthy professional development ′meals′ based on specific needs and available resources." —Gail Ritchie, Instructional Coach Fairfax County Public Schools, VA "This book offers a menu of practical, integrated, research-based tools and processes that engage and empower teachers and administrators in co-constructing a powerful form of job-embedded professional development that is relevant, focused, and organic, and allows schools to transform themselves into a self-sustaining learning organization." —Pedro R. Bermúdez, Professional Development Support Ready Schools Miami, FL Achieve effective, on-site teacher development without breaking the budget! This essential guide to job-embedded staff development helps schools and districts move away from reliance on outside expertise, instead drawing on and developing the experience and skills of their own faculty. The authors provide a complete toolbox of school-based professional development (PD) strategies, with recommendations on which tools to use for different times and settings, guidelines for implementation, and extended examples of each tool in action for a full spectrum of proven, cost-effective PD models, including: Book study and lesson study Action research and professional learning communities Coaching and co-teaching Webinars, podcasts, Open Space Technology, online communities, and much more

Download or read book The Effects of Professional Development Efforts on Educator Beliefs and Perceptions of Competency Within a School based Response to Intervention Model written by Joshua Nadeau and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to identify and understand relationships between educators' perceived skills, observed practices, and stated beliefs - as well as the impact of evidence-based professional development upon those relationships - during the first year of ongoing school-based implementation for Florida's Statewide Problem- Solving/Response to Intervention (PS/RtI) Project. The PS/RtI model is conceptualized as providing a data-based template to drive student service delivery decisions; as providing a tiered framework of assessment and evaluation to maximize efficiency of allocated school funds; and as defining the determination of eligibility for special education services to be based solely upon a continuous necessity of resources/services beyond those typically available in the general education setting. The current study analyzed existing data from Florida's statewide PS/RtI project, collected during the 2007-2008 school year. During specified professional development sessions, educators provided responses to various questions about their beliefs regarding, perceptions of competency within, and estimated observational frequency of, critical components constituting the PS/RtI model. Three specific research questions were investigated from analysis of these responses; specifically: (1) What is the relationship between beliefs about a training objective, and the self-rated perception of skills and frequency of observed practices associated with that objective, (2) What are the effects of specific skills training on the relationship between self-reported beliefs, and associated perceptions of skills and frequency of observed practices, and (3) What is the relationship between initial (pre-training) and time two (post-training) measures of self-reported beliefs and perceived skills related to data usage, and of self-reported beliefs, perceived skills, and observed practices related to academic instruction? This study found that, for the first year of implementation, initial educator beliefs regarding evidence-based instruction and data-based decision making were only slightly related to self-perceived competence in these areas; furthermore, independent of any effect that skills training may have had upon educator survey scores, the relationship between beliefs, skills, and practices scores did not significantly differ over the first year of implementation. Implications of the findings for practice, including scaling up of RtI implementation efforts, are discussed.

Download or read book Handbook of Research on Professional Development for Quality Teaching and Learning written by Petty, Teresa and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2016-06-16 with total page 859 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As educational standards continue to transform, it has become essential for educators and pre-service teachers to receive the support and training necessary to effectively instruct their students and meet societal expectations. However, there is not a clear consensus on what constitutes teacher effectiveness and quality within the education realm. The Handbook of Research on Professional Development for Quality Teaching and Learning provides theoretical perspectives and empirical research on educator preparation and methods for enhancing the teaching process. Focusing on teacher effectiveness and support provided to current and pre-service educators, this publication is a comprehensive reference source for practitioners, researchers, policy makers, graduate students, and university faculty.

Download or read book Re Designing Programs written by Jennifer Jacobs and published by IAP. This book was released on 2021-04-01 with total page 339 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Given the increasing diversity of the United States and students entering schools, the value of teacher learning in clinical contexts, and the need to elevate the profession, national organizations have been calling for a re-envisioning of teacher preparation that turns teacher education upside down. This change will require PK-12 schools and universities to partner in robust ways to create strong professional learning experiences for aspiring teachers. University faculty, in particular, will not only need to work?in?schools, but they will need to work?with?schools in the preparation of future teachers. This collaboration should promote greater equity and justice for our nation’s students. The purpose of this book is to support individuals in designing clinically based teacher preparation programs that place equity at the core. Drawing from the literature as well as our experiences in designing and coordinating award-winning teacher?education programs, we offer a vision for equity-centered, clinically based preparation that promotes powerful teacher professional learning and develops high-quality, equity-centered teachers for schools. The chapter topics include policy guidelines, partnerships, intentional clinical experiences, coherence, curriculum and coursework, university-based teacher educators, school-based teacher educators, teacher candidate supervision and evaluation, the role of research, and instructional leadership in teacher preparation. While the concepts we share are research-based and grounded in the empirical literature, our primary intention is for this book to be of practical use. We hope that by the time you finish reading, you will feel inspired and equipped to make change within your own program, your institution, and your local context. We begin each chapter with a “Before You Read” section that includes introductory activities or self-assessment questions to prompt reflection about the current state of your teacher preparation program. We also weave examples, a “Spotlight from Practice,” in the form of vignettes designed to spark your thinking for program improvement. Finally, we conclude each chapter with a section called “Exercises for Action,” which are questions or activities to help you (re)imagine and move toward action in the (re)design of your teacher preparation program. We hope that you will use the exercises by yourself, but perhaps more importantly, with others to stimulate conversations about how you can build upon what you are already doing well to make your program even better. Praise for (Re)Designing Programs: A Vision for Equity-Centered, Clinically Based Teacher Preparation: "Jennifer Jacobs and Rebecca West Burns’ book, “(Re)Designing Programs: A Vision for Equity-Centered, Clinically Based Teacher Preparation,” is a must-read for all teacher educators, especially those involved in the creation and/or direction of clinically based teacher education programs. Their text provides a roadmap for higher education and school-based teacher educators to collaboratively design a program that prepares teachers to meet the needs of future students. They not only redefine the terms and language we use within clinical practice programs but also encourage us to reflect upon how teachers should be prepared in an equity-centered, clinically based teacher education program. Their text deserves to be on the book shelves of all teacher educators." - D. John McIntyre

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.