Lessons From Research
The quality of professional learning will influence its results
By Learning Forward
Categories: Outcomes, Research, Standards for Professional LearningAugust 2014
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At a Glance
While contributing to some change in teacher knowledge and practices in science instruction for English language learners, primarily in the first year of the intervention, the five-year professional development intervention consisting of workshops and curriculum units generated only limited instructional changes.
The study
Lee, O. & Maerten-Rivera, J. (2012). Teacher change in elementary science instruction with English language learners: Results of a multiyear professional development intervention across multiple grades. Teachers College Record, 114(8), 1-44.
What This Means For Practitioners
This study provides an important lesson for practitioners: The quality of the professional learning will influence its results. The intervention to change teacher knowledge and practice neglects some of the critical features of effective professional learning.
While satisfying some attributes of effective professional learning, the study’s intervention falls short in providing implementation support or differentiated learning designs to accommodate for the small amount of change in year one. It mentions no engagement or specific role for leadership in supporting change and neglects to examine the effects of teacher practice on student learning.
The intervention does not include sufficient time for teachers to remodel instruction based on the new units, provide formative data or feedback to teachers throughout the intervention, differentiate support, or offer classroom-based support.
The results of this study are a disappointment to the field. On the surface, the results add to the stockpile of professional development studies that produce little change in teacher knowledge and practice.
When researchers plan interventions, even based on features of effective professional learning, they neglect some of the basics related to the Standards for Professional Learning (Learning Forward, 2011). The intervention in this study demonstrates little application of those standards beyond the surface level. It is particularly weak in Learning Communities, Leadership, Implementation, and Outcomes.
Reference
Learning Forward. (2011). Standards for Professional Learning. Oxford, OH: Author.
Learning Forward is the only professional association devoted exclusively to those who work in educator professional development. We help our members plan, implement, and measure high-quality professional learning so they can achieve success with their systems, schools, and students.
Categories: Outcomes, Research, Standards for Professional Learning
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