Professional development is a combination of job-related, focused and in-depth learning, practice, feedback, reflection, and support experiences designed to enhance participants' perspectives, insights and/or attitudes; and which lead to improved professional practice and student performance. Effective professional development programs include ample opportunities for knowledge acquisition, skill mastery, descriptive feedback, and refinement in the work setting.
| What Professional Development Is | What Professional Development Is Not |
|
Professional development is |
Professional development is not |
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Short-term, one-day, and isolated learning activities rarely result in improved professional practice and have little or no effect on child and youth learning. As depicted in the chart below, without ongoing support (e.g., coaching) to support implementation, changes in long-term practices or beliefs are rare (Bellanca, 1995).
|
Impact on Teacher |
|||
|
Type of training |
improved knowledge |
try new strategies |
sustained change |
|
presentation of concepts and theory |
85% |
15% |
10% |
|
modeling of strategies(demonstration of behavior) |
85% |
18% |
10% |
|
low-risk practice with feedback |
85% |
80% |
15% |
| coaching in work setting
|
90% |
90% |
80% |
The purpose of professional development is to ensure all children and youth achieve at high levels. Therefore, professional development must address
- awareness and knowledge,
- attitude change,
- skill development, and
- transfer of training (practices) (Joyce & Showers, 1988)
Guskey (2000) asserts: professional development only results in long-term changes in educator beliefs, attitudes, and instructional practice after educators have been trained, allowed to try new practices, become skilled at implementing the new practices, and see positive changes in child and youth achievement. In fact, it can take two to three years for educators to become fluent in the use of new practices. Therefore, in order for professional development to be effective it must:
- take place over time;
- include support for improving strategy use, and
- monitor changes in student achievement.
Non-regulatory Guidance for NCLB, Title II, Part A states:
The term “high-quality professional development” means professional development that meets the criteria contained in the definition of professional development in Title IX, Section 9101(34) of ESEA. Professional development includes, but is not limited to, activities that:
- Improve and increase teachers’ knowledge of academic subjects and enable teachers to become highly qualified;
- Are an integral part of broad schoolwide and districtwide educational improvement plans;
- Give teachers and principals the knowledge and skills to help students meet challenging State academic standards;
- Improve classroom management skills;
- Are sustained, intensive, and classroom-focused and are not one-day or short-term workshops;
- Advance teacher understanding of effective instruction strategies that are based on scientifically based research; and
- Are developed with extensive participation of teachers, principals, parents, and administrators.
In addition, the National Staff Development Council (NSDC) Standards for Staff Development provide a framework for understanding how high quality professional development is structured. Both the NCLB, Title II, Part A definition and the NSDC Standards focus on intended outcomes of professional development: improving professional practice and student performance.
1598 Delaware Professional Development Standards
Related Resources:Statewide Professional Development Plan Task Force materials
Leadership Professional Development Plan (in development)