Examining Impact
October 2013
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ARTICLES
Top Skills For Tough Conversations
School and district leaders can teach and model the skills necessary to facilitate productive conversations among teachers.
Weave Data Into Learning
To ensure that data becomes a tool used to continually improve curriculum, instruction, and assessment, assign a leader, make sure supports are in place, and include data with other professional learning.
From The Director
Stephanie Hirsh asks you to share your success stories online. (Available to the public.)
Abstracts
The Impact Factor: Why we can’t neglect professional learning evaluation. By Stephanie Hirsh The Standards for Professional Learning and the guidance they provide lay the foundation for an effective professional […]
Register for Upcoming Webinars
Join leaders in the field for webinars on key topics affecting professional learning leaders. Webinar participants gain insight from experts and colleagues on topics such as data analysis, virtual learning […]
On Board
Educators across the globe regularly engage in learning. This learning is usually grounded in espoused theories of action, with a hope that changes in professional practice and improved student learning […]
Book Club
Book Club
Standards For Professional Learning For The iPad
Standards for Professional Learning for the iPad
Learningforward.org
The View From the Top A report highlighting the perspectives of top-performing teachers gets this reaction from Learning Forward Director of Communications Tracy Crow: “While it is nice that additional […]
Collaborative Culture
Deep, honest conversations build trust and strengthen working relationships. (Available to the public.)
Tool
Conduct ongoing assessment and evaluation. (Available to the public.)
Essentials
Using student data, Improving teacher practice, Attracting talent, Innovative state models, Interactive learning, Common Core, New Zealand surveys
From The Editor
From the editor By Tracy Crow (Available to the public.)
Make The Case For Coaching
Policymakers want to see evidence that coaching makes a difference for teachers and students. Follow these evaluation guidelines to persuade school boards, superintendents, and school leaders that instructional coaching represents a good investment.
A Convergence Of Energy And Talent
The Webster (N.Y.) Central School District calls on consultants from Learning Forward's Center for Results to help the district plan and implement an elementary literacy initiative.
Complete The Picture
While feedback is important, evaluation is key to determining what professional learning participants have learned. Two evaluation methods measure knowledge gained and level of implementation.
Instructional Coach Weighs 3 Types Of Data To Get Triple-Strength Feedback
Weighing three types of data -- teacher reflective tendencies, student evidence, and evidence of sustained change -- can more accurately show the instructional coach's impact on teacher and student learning. (Available to the public.)
Checks And Balances
Created to strengthen teacher leadership, the Boston Teacher Leadership Certificate program incorporates time and tools to review data at multiple levels to monitor the program's effectiveness and ensure participant success.
Moving In Unexpected Directions
After a sudden drop in reading scores, leaders at McWhirter Elementary Professional Development Laboratory School in Webster, Texas, chose exploratory action research to take a deeper look at underlying causes and articulate the school's professional learning needs. (Available to the public.)
The Impact Factor
When professional learning is aligned with the Standards for Professional Learning, documenting its impact keeps educators focused on what is most important, tells them whether they are on the right track to achieving their goals, and gives evidence to reassure those responsible for investing in it.
Up Close
Checklist for evaluation plans, 5 questions to inform evaluation planning, Professional development evaluation guide, Assessing Impact: Evaluating Staff Development, What's inside
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