The Necessity of Designing Effective Professional Learning For Teachers

As my thoughts turn to next year and I begin to think about the areas of personal growth I would like to set goals for, I am reminded of a conversation that I was part of and that to this day still troubles me. In a discussion once with a teacher concerning PD(professional development), they made very clear that "they did not need to do anymore professional learning as they never get anything out of it." This alarmed me, and was followed by my awkward smile and nod of the head.  Was it in fact that this teacher really knew all that was needed to be an effective teacher or had they just not been part of an effective PD experience that left them wanting more?

According the Ontario College of Teachers, "The Standards of Practise for the Teaching Profession provide a framework of principles that describes the knowledge, skills, and values inherent in Ontario's teaching profession." Furthermore,these standards convey a collective vision of professionalism that guides the daily practises of members of the Ontario College of Teachers.  The College dictates,

"members recognise that a commitment to ongoing professional learning is integral to effective practise and to student learning. Professional practise and self-directed learning are informed by experience, research, collaboration and knowledge."

So then if we are mandated as Ontario educators to "ongoing professional learning, what was it that lead this teacher to feel otherwise?  If it was in fact a lack of experiencing effective professional development, what then are the characteristics of effective PD so that to ensure an intrinsic need in all teachers to be lifelong learners?

After doing a considerable amount of reading on the subject, talking to other educators and reflecting on my own experiences, I have found four common characteristics that seem necessary to make professional learning effective.  Effective professional learning is:

Collaboration: Teachers who work together have a team to discuss concepts, skills, and problems that arise during their professional development experiences over time. Second, teachers who are from the same school or grade are likely to share common curriculum materials, school/Area focus and assessment requirements. Finally, teachers who share the same students can discuss students' needs across classes and grade levels and By collaborating integrate what they learn with other aspects of their instructional context.

Data Informed: From most of the writing on the subject, there appears to be two main types of data to consider, Professional Research and Student.  Opportunities to collaboratively explore, implement and debrief on the findings and strategies of professional resources and research is an integral part of professional learning. Teachers are able to draw the skills of area specific experts into their own practise and increase student success through these strategies. Secondly, student data informs our programming, our pedagogical approach and the success of current practises.  Teachers must be given an opportunity to actively learn using student data to influence further professional learning and instructional practise.

Sustained Commitment: The research shows that one day PD event has little overall influence on a teacher's effectiveness in the classroom. Designing professional learning around the Continuous Improvement model, illuminates the necessity for supported long-term professional learning.  Collaboration with with peers, access to modelling and coaching, reflection and debriefing are all attributes of this cycle and known to promote student success through better instructive practises.

Adult Learning Theory: At the heart of all all of these characteristics is Knowles' Adult Learning Theory.  According to Knowles, Adults are more likely to invest in their learning if four key principles are involved.  Adults need to have a voice in the decision making around their professional learning.  Meaningful self-guided learning in the digital age is becoming more and more possible and educators are able to access greater resources online than ever before. Adults are able to design their learning to fit their specific needs. Adults prefer problem based learning and react better with goal setting than content retention.  Through exploring exemplars of successes and failures and actively experiencing these trials, adults are more likely to become actively involved in their learning.

Final Thoughts...
With the advent of Twitter and other platforms for creating worldwide PLNs that support professional growth and understanding, perhaps we are entering an age where professional development will become more self-guided and more meaningful, which may sway the opinions and practise of teachers like the one I mentioned earlier. The data is showing that this kind of professional development not only makes teachers have a greater investment in their practise, but it also promotes greater success for students.  Creating a profession of teaching in which teachers are the designers of their learning and are provided with the opportunity for meaningful continual collaboration is the likeliest way to achieve student success together.