No More Bad Professional Development

In many school districts, professional development (PD) workshops and trainings are offered with the goal of improving student achievement (Whitehead, Jensen, & Boschee, 2013). Many teachers have participated in these PD workshops and training with the hopes of learning valuable information that they can take back and use within their classrooms.  Typically, during these workshops, teachers gather in a room for one to three hours and listen to a lecture about an isolated concept or topic. Oftentimes, they leave wondering if it was worth participating in as they have not gained any valuable knowledge or skills related to improving their practice.  

Professional development, in which teachers are not connected or leave feeling as if it was a waste of their time, is ineffective in improving instruction and student achievement.  According to Whitehead, Jensen, and Boschee (2013), professional development should be evaluated and measured to determine the effectiveness of teaching practices.  The evaluation of PD is the most valuable part of continuous improvement in supporting teachers and learners.  Teachers who participate in high- quality, well designed, and though-out professional development opportunities are more apt to implement the practices within their classrooms. Therefore, those in a leadership position must know how to conduct the evaluation of PD as well as the evaluation of instructional strategies (2013).

So, how do you recognize great PD opportunities?  First, they are relevant to teachers and focus on the learning theory instead of presenting abstract ideas about how to teach content to students.  They also provide the most recent research based teaching strategies and methods. Effective PD takes place in a collaborative setting where teachers share with one another.  Teachers need a collaborative culture in which engage in collective inquiry and the continuous improvement process. In addition, PD opportunities should be structured in a way that it presents strategies that changes teacher behaviors and routines.  It is hard to change a teacher’s content knowledge (Desimone & Garet, 2015). However, it is much easier to change behaviors and routines.  Furthermore, Professional development is much more effective when it is clear, powerful, and focused. This type of PD can lead to higher quality teaching which results in higher student achievement. Lastly, professional development opportunities should never be a one-time opportunity. It is an ongoing and continuous self-improvement opportunity for teachers.   The success of professional development can be measured by the teacher's ability to comprehend the school's mission and plan for improving teaching and learning (2013).  It is only by supporting teachers through PD opportunities that their practice can improve thus they can improve student achievement. 

The following is a short video about professional development possibilities. 

References

Desimone, L., & Garet, M. (2015). Best practices in teachers's professional development in the united states. Psychology, Society, & Education, 7(3).

Whitehead, B., Jensen, D., & Boschee, F. (2013). Planning for Technology: A Guide for School Administrators, Technology Coordinators, and Curriculum Leaders. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.

Makerspaces

Today, with the infusion of technology in the classroom, many schools, according to Schrum & Levin (2015) are “experimenting with using technologies in new ways.”.  One technological trend in many schools is the creation of a makerspaces within their library. A makerspace is where students come to collaborate and design. However, some teachers are also providing makerspaces for use within their own classrooms along with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities.

Please view my audio blog about makerspaces by clicking on the Voice Thread Link below. 

 References

Kincaid, K., & Pfau, P. (2015). Creating ever-evolving, school specific learning commons.

Teacher Librarian,42(2).  Retrieved from http://ezproxy.montevallo.edu:2066/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T002&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&currentPosition=1&docId=GALE%7CA414004291&docType=Article&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=&prodId=AONE&contentSet=GALE%7CA414004291&searchId=R6&userGroupName=mont41605&inPS=true&authCount=1&u=mont41605

Schrum, L., & Levin, B. (2015). Leading 21^st century schools: Harnessing technology for

            Engagement and achievement. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.

Smay, D., & Walker, C. (2015). Makerspaces: A creative approach to education. Teacher

Librarian, 42(4).  Retrieved from http://ezproxy.montevallo.edu:2066/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T002&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=1&docId=GALE%7CA414004291&docType=Article&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=&prodId=AONE&contentSet=GALE%7CA414004291&searchId=R7&userGroupName=mont41605&inPS=true

And You Get Some Technology PD!

Technology can support students’ access to instructional resources providing skills for collaboration, problem solving and critical thinking.  In today’s classroom, the role of technology is significant as technology and innovation changes at a fast rate (Whitehead, Jensen, & Boschee, 2013). Many schools and districts have made major investments in their students’ futures by purchasing technology for educational use in the classroom. Students need enough technology and internet access to prepare them for the 21^st century workplace as well as skills that insure college success.  According to Whitehead, Jensen, & Boschee (2013) schools of today should have an “integrated connection among pedagogy, content, and technology". Technology is essential for student achievement and school improvement. Therefore, teachers need to have access to the latest technology training and professional development as it is an important tool for teaching and learning. For instructional purposes, technology is more than just knowing how to assign drill and practice activities to students or the use whiteboards, slide shows, and videos for presenting content.  The effective use of technology in the classroom is in the seamless integration of it into the curriculum where it can engage learners in meaningful and relevant learning experiences. Thus, improving academic achievement.

Although, many teachers acknowledge the benefits of technology for student learning, some teachers struggle with how to effectively integrate it into instruction and learning. This lack of training often is “recognized as one of the main reasons that schools have difficulty implementing technology" (Whitehead et al., 2013). The integration of technology into teaching practices involves skills and knowledge that can be gained through professional development and training opportunities. School districts and administrators should support educators with professional development opportunities that present teaching strategies and methods which use digital tools to promote student growth and achievement.  It is unacceptable in the 21^st century classroom for technology to sit idle because of a lack in teacher training in its use and effective integration.  As dedicated lifelong learners, teachers want professional development which offers the latest information and instructional strategies for emerging educational technology.

The following video coveys the impact of investing in teachers' professional development for technology and inquiry based learning.  It also conveys the idea that teachers become learners again.


 

 Professional learning opportunities give teachers the confidence and knowledge they need to implement technology.  The results of the successful use of technology in the classroom can only be achieved through effective researched based strategies which increases student engagement and positively impacts student outcomes.   The results of  Mustafina’s  (2016) research concluded that most teachers had a positive attitude about the incorporation of technology in the classroom.  Furthermore, their research revealed that a teacher’s “level of confidence and knowledge” influence their attitudes toward technology integration into their lessons and learning activities (Mustafina, 2016).  When planning for technology, it is important that costs, hardware, and curriculum be considered. However, it is of upmost importance that pedagogy and student needs are forefront for technological planning.  In professional learning workshops and training courses, teachers can develop skills they need to navigate the vast amount of technology and internet resources.  Moreover, these opportunities teach educators how to effectively integrate technology across the curriculum supporting students’ mastery of academic and content standards. In their book, Whitehead, Jensen, and Boschee (2013) suggest that before any purchases or planning for technology, the philosophy of teaching as well as students’ needs and abilities should be considered first. When planning for technology, schools and districts should always consider staff development of skills and knowledge needed to successfully implement technology into the school culture and curriculum. 

References

Mustafina, A. (2016). Teachers’ attitudes toward technology integration in a Kazakhstani                     secondary school. International Journal of Research in Education and Science (IJRES),   2(2), 322-332. 

Whitehead, B.M., Jensen, D., Boschee, F. (2013). Planning for Technology: A guide
             for school administrators, technology coordinators, and curriculum leaders.
             Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.