Professional Development Models

By: Michelle Comstock

Remote Professional Learning Plan

Districtwide Professional Development

Site-Based Professional Development

Small Group Professional Development

Individual Professional Learning Plan

PD can be a blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning. Integration of technology, increasing digital skills and opportunities for virtual connections.

Ensures all educators receive information and builds consistency throughout the whole district (Snelling, 2021)

Conveys the same massage whole building, ensures consistency and promotes a collaborative culture sharing best practices and inviting consultants/experts.

Transfer and application are directly aligned to teams needs. Supports addressing real concerns focused on data and learn from one another.

Self-selected learning is individualized to improve self and target individual weaknesses.

Delivered online through live video/webinar or through prerecorded video and provides collaborative opportunities through digital interaction.

Focused on district initiatives and introduced to entire district. Typically held over multiple days.

Provided in building and focused on the buildings needs. It is part of a long term plan connected to the district/state.

High in collaboration, focused on targeting specific needs of learning communities such as departments or grade level teams.

Each staff member determines their own course of learning. Centered around obtaining clock hours for state requirements.

Can be self-paced. Leads to relevancy and immediacy to teachers needs. Saves on district funds reducing travel expenses (Fogarty & Pete, 2017)

Staff may participate alone, lacking opportunity for discussion, dialogue, and transfer of ideas. Could feel more like a “stand and deliver” PD.

It sets a unified vision for the district and builds equity across the schools.

Not adequate for full implementation because it lacks practice and coaching. (Fogarty & Pete, 2017).

More responsive of building goals that impact majority of staff (Fogarty & Pete, 2017) and can be focused on school data

Difficulty funding for initiatives and inconsistency may form between other buildings in the district (Fogarty & Pete, 2017).

Staff become self-directed. Work is relevant, purposeful, and enhances collaboration amongst teams (Fogarty & Pete, 2017)

Limited perspectives or ideas. Others in building may need to be caught up on the information gained.

It is self-selected and customizable to meet individual wants and needs tailors specifically to one person.

Everyone is doing own thing, may not be focused on the school/districts vision. May lack collaboration.

5

Professional Development Models

Key Characteristics

Effectiveness of Model

Advantages

Disadvantages

5 Models of Professional Development

Activities

• Professional Learning Community discussion
• Book studies
• Data analysis and discussion
• Curriculum review and mapping
• Examining student work
• Developing learning progressions within specific standards
• Attend workshops

Activities

• Goal setting
• Attend Workshops
• Continuing ed/Graduate Courses
• Mentoring/Coaching
• Peer observations
• Action Research

Activities

• Building wide data carousels reviewing and analyzing common assessments and state testing results
• Whole building book study with focused PD on specific components to practice
• Attend conferences
• Role playing and modeling effective teaching practices centered on culturally responsiveness, social emotional learning, and inclusionary practice.

Activities

• Introduce new curriculum adoptions and review curriculum maps
• Reviewing Districts Strategic Plan and reflecting on teaching practices related.
• Review and analyze district data
• Review Districts Strategic Plan and reflecting on teaching practices related.

Activities

• Polls
• Chat rooms
• Use a Learning Management Systems to post discussions.
• Engage staff in using technology such as Nearpod or padlet.

Rationale Hopping and Stevenson (2014) state the achievement of students is dependent upon the quality of teaching, gained through professional development which is crucial for teachers to shift their teaching strategies and practices. Each model of professional development is effective in its own way and the combination of each enables people to grow and advance their teaching practice to achieve higher student success. Similar to students, teachers also have different learning styles and benefit from various styles of instruction (Hopping & Stevenson, 2014). I believe small group professional development model is the most effective method and appropriate for my work place. As a district, we have previously spent time dedicated around the districts vision, various curriculum models and mapping to guide instruction, but now we need to dedicate time as a staff, in grade level teams to refine the work to help our students reach the goals set. Small group professional development (PD) is also most appropriate because multiple collaborative teams can be created through this model to provide relevant and purposeful learning that targets their specific goals related to their work (Fogarty & Pete, 2017). Small group PD also promotes active and consistent learning centered around the teaching environment with peers collaborating and supporting one another (Stewart, 2014). Professional learning communities (PLC) are an example of small group PD where grade level teams or content area specialists can identify specific needs within their setting based on student data. The identified needs may encourage attending workshops to develop new teaching strategies, site observations, book studies, data analysis, or examining student work for patterns and gaps. PLCs can support teachers needs by aligning curriculum to standards and developing a learning progression to determine the most effective teaching strategies. Small group PD can take shape in book studies. For example, in my building we have a team of teachers who are passionate about social emotional learning while others want to engage in a hands-on workshop on the science of reading. Small group PD allows each team to improve skills relevant to their professional growth and student need, collaborate with others, and share key findings with others during a staff meeting. According to Stewart (2014), if application is missing then there will be minimal impact of quality teaching and student outcomes. Small group PD is effective because it is a form of active learning; it is job-embedded, data driven, and connected to learning theory and standards. References Fogarty, R. J., & Pete, B. M. (2017). From staff room to classroom: A guide for planning and coaching professional development (2nd ed.). SAGE. Hopping, L., & Stevenson, R. (2014). The case for meaningful professional development. AMLE Magazine, 1(6), 10-13. https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/case-meaningful-professional-development/docview/1671180454/se-2 Stewart, C. (2014). Transforming professional development to professional learning. Journal of Adult Education, 43(1), 28-33. https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/transforming-professional-development-learning/docview/1539790971/se-2

Resources: Fogarty, R. J., & Pete, B. M. (2017). From staff room to classroom: A guide for planning and coaching professional development (2nd ed.). SAGE. Snelling, J. (2021, December 13). 5 reasons to go all-in on districtwide PD. ISTE. https://www.iste.org/explore/empowered-learner/5-reasons-go-all-districtwide-pd