PDMethodsMatrix

From LiteracyTentWiki

The Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers (AALPD) held their Fifth Annual Pre-Conference at COABE in Anaheim, California: Professional Development Delivery Methods: What Works Best For You? Participants discussed a variety of professional development methods and contributed their ideas to the matrix below. Please add your examples, or references to theory or practice to the cells by posting them either directly in the table, or listing them here: AddingToThePDMatrix. The current version will be updated based upon your feedback in the ALE Wiki, and a final revision posted to the AALPD website. To obtain a printable version of the PD Methods Matrix with updates from the COABE Pre-Conference, visit http://www.aalpd.org/ and click on "Publications."

If you have questions, email Jackie Taylor at: <jataylor@utk.edu>.

Submit Ideas and References to Theory and Research Here AddingToThePDMatrix

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Matrix of Methods for Professional Development

Professional Development (PD) Approach Face-to-Face Across Programs
(1)


 On-line or Hybrid PD

also referred to as a "Blended PD" approach
(2)

 Program-based
(3)


 Supported Individual Learning also referred to as (supported) "self study"
(4)
Examples of PD methods that fit into this approach
(A) 		Short-term

Workshops
Institutes
Conferences



Longer-term

Study Circles

Practitioner research training

Courses


  • Wiki
  • Projects, e.g. curriculum development
  • "Sharing groups" around a common issue
  • Groups with same roles
  • Institutes with on-going sharing
  • Membership in professional organizations
  • Speaker series
  • Publication development
Courses (long-term or short-term)


Listservs, discussion boards, e-mail groups


IP Videoconference


Study Circles


Job-Embedded “Artifacts of Teaching” Sharing Groups


Practitioner Research


Coaching/Mentoring


  • Wiki
  • Projects, e.g. curriculum development
  • "Sharing groups" around a common issue
  • Publication development
Individual learning plan including reading, writing, observation, etc.


Why you might use this approach (goals this approach serves)
(B) 		Introduce and demonstrate new concepts, strategies, or techniques


Reach larger groups of practitioners


  • Share expertise
  • Market/outreach to others
  • Use practitioners’ experience, sharing and using data for improvement, aligning
  • Tap into broader generalizable themes across programs
  • Build community of practice
  • Provide broader perspective
  • Model instructional practices
  • Provide consistency across programs
Increase individual teacher knowledge, competence and skills


Reach practitioners who find it difficult to attend face-to-face PD


  • Interact with content and facilitator
  • Build community
  • Maximize time, travel, flexibility
  • Continue professional development on “technology”
  • Work with teachers over a long period of time
  • Address topics without a critical geographical mass
  • Tap into expertise outside local area
  • Establish professional network
Implement school reform/program improvement effort


Reach practitioners who find it difficult to travel to PD


  • Improve program, using data to improve quality
  • Address turnover in our field – new ideas take root in program culture
  • Build program identity and community
  • Focus on specific initiatives, targeted issues
  • Give program a common framework, easier implementation
Serves individuals who want to study on their own or who find it difficult to attend PD in person


Allows individuals to tailor a learning plan to their own specific needs


Issues to consider when considering this approach
(C) 		Requires recruiting and advertising regionally or statewide


Requires trained facilitator


  • Planning logistics
  • Goals in addition to content, e.g. develop a community of practice
  • Facilitation
Requires recruiting and advertising either regionally, statewide or nationally


Limited numbers of practitioners can participate at a time


  • Speed of access – what technology do people have
  • Technical support to programs and individuals
  • Training facilitators
  • Archive discussions - access additional resources
  • Training in use of tool
Limited number of practitioners can participate


Requires a connection between program and PD system so that PD system can help them find resources when needed


  • Understand roles within program
  • Provide a safe environment; leadership must be supportive
Requires some method for supporting individual teachers as they learn


Theory and Research on Effectiveness of this Approach
(D) 		Short-term

Not much research to support effectiveness in promoting real change, but anecdotal evidence supports the idea that teachers can learn a new idea or two in short-term PD models.


Longer-term
Attending for longer time periods and multiple time periods is more effective (Porter, et al., 2000; Joyce and Showers, 1995; Stein, et al., 1999); Smith, et al. (2003).


Stronger emphasis on analysis and reflection supports learning (Bollough, et al., 1997; Arlin,1999; Joyce, 1983; Guskey,1999; Sparks, 1995)


Including a variety of activities, such as presentation of theory, demonstration, practice, feedback and classroom application, supports learning (Joyce and Showers, 1995; Mazzarella, 1980; Joyce, Wolf and Calhoun, 1995; Stein and Wang, 1988; Elmore, 1996)


Smith, et al (2003) also found that new teachers want to attend workshops whereas experienced teachers may prefer alternative models (practitioner research, study circles, mentor teacher groups)


Project IDEAL now investigating; preliminary results suggest that the same principles of effective face-to-face PD apply to distance or online education as well.


Encouraging teachers from the same workplace to participate together, (Porter, et al., 2000), and wherever possible ensuring that what the teachers learn in professional development is supported by program and district priorities (Garet, et al., 2001).


Stronger connection between teacher’s work context and learning supports change (Fingeret and Cockley, 1992; Ottoson, 1997)


Helping teachers study students’ thinking, not just learn techniques, is more effective (Carpenter and Franke, 1998; Ancess, 2000


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