Exploring the Relationship Between Professional Development and Student Achievement
Exploring the Relationship Between Professional Development and Student Achievement

Author: Tamora LaShawn Jackson

Publisher:

Published: 2014

Total Pages:

ISBN-13:

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Abstract The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between professional development and student achievement by addressing three major standards of professional learning: content, process, and context. This study included 276 teachers from 28 middle schools. Data from this study was gathered using the Standards Assessment Inventory (SAI) survey instrument designed by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) and publicly available achievement data from the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP), a criterion-referenced achievement test. The Standards Assessment Inventory (SAI) was used to examine teachers' perceptions of professional development at the school level. The overall purpose of this study was to collect, analyze, and use existing data to answer the following research question: Based on the National Staff Development Council (NSDC) professional learning standards, is there a positive correlation between teachers' perception of professional development at a school-based level and student achievement? The following sub-questions guided this research: (1) Is there a relationship between the "context" of school-level professional development based on the NSDC standards and student achievement in mathematics and reading/language, as measured by TCAP scores? (2) Is there a relationship between the "process" of school-level professional development based on the NSDC standards and student achievement in mathematics and reading/language, as measured by TCAP scores? (3) Is there a relationship between the "content" of school-level professional development based on the NSDC standards and student achievement in mathematics and reading/language, as measured by TCAP scores?Data for this research was analyzed using statistical computational methods. The results from the data analysis determined that there were several positive significant relationships between the National Staff Development Council standards of professional learning and student achievement.

Handbook of Professional Development in Education
Handbook of Professional Development in Education

Author: Linda E. Martin

Publisher: Guilford Publications

Published: 2015-10-13

Total Pages: 593

ISBN-13: 1462524974

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This comprehensive handbook synthesizes the best current knowledge on teacher professional development (PD) and addresses practical issues in implementation. Leading authorities describe innovative practices that are being used in schools, emphasizing the value of PD that is instructive, reflective, active, collaborative, and substantive. Strategies for creating, measuring, and sustaining successful programs are presented. The book explores the relationship of PD to adult learning theory, school leadership, district and state policy, the growth of professional learning communities, and the Common Core State Standards. Each chapter concludes with thought-provoking discussion questions. The appendix provides eight illuminating case studies of PD initiatives in diverse schools.

Why Can′t We Get It Right?
Why Can′t We Get It Right?

Author: Marsha Speck

Publisher: Corwin Press

Published: 2005-02-01

Total Pages: 185

ISBN-13: 1483304221

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"In Why Can′t We Get It Right? Second Edition, Marsha Speck and Caroll Knipe provide a thorough overview of what is known about the nature of professional development that produces high levels of learning and performance for teachers and their students. They admirably achieve their goal of showing how well-designed professional development with a clear focus on improved student learning can make a difference in teaching and student success." —From the Foreword by Dennis Sparks, Executive Director National Staff Development Council How can we use professional development to provide the best teaching and learning opportunities for all students? To increase student achievement and prepare all students to meet standards, educators must be well prepared. Teachers who know their content and strategies can open a virtual toolbox and take out what they need to help all students become successful. This thoroughly revised and updated edition of Why Can′t We Get It Right? explains how educational leaders can design, deliver, and evaluate collaborative standards-based professional development. In this unique and indispensable guide, Marsha Speck and Caroll Knipe provide professional development designs, challenging teachers to make a difference for students and resulting in dramatically improved schools. This excellent resource contains: Essential questions about high-quality professional development Information on creating the culture for a learning community Conditions and processes for professional development Suggestions on designing your own model Tools for evaluating and rethinking professional development and learning Strategies for deepening a leader′s impact on a standards-based system If we are to improve learning and achievement in our schools, we must also nourish the growth of educators and foster a learner-centered environment!

Professional Communities and the Work of High School Teaching
Professional Communities and the Work of High School Teaching

Author: Milbrey W. McLaughlin

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2001-10-20

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13: 9780226500706

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American high schools have never been under more pressure to reform: student populations are more diverse than ever, resources are limited, and teachers are expected to teach to high standards for all students. While many reformers look for change at the state or district level, the authors here argue that the most local contexts—schools, departments, and communities—matter the most to how well teachers perform in the classroom and how satisfied they are professionally. Their findings—based on one of the most extensive research projects ever done on secondary teaching—show that departmental cultures play a crucial role in classroom settings and expectations. In the same school, for example, social studies teachers described their students as "apathetic and unwilling to work," while English teachers described the same students as "bright, interesting, and energetic." With wide-ranging implications for educational practice and policy, this unprecedented look into teacher communities is essential reading for educators, administrators, and all those concerned with U. S. High Schools.

Planning, Instruction, and Assessment
Planning, Instruction, and Assessment

Author: Leslie Grant

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-10-02

Total Pages: 170

ISBN-13: 1317924401

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This entry in the James H. Stronge Research-to-Practice Series focuses on specific strategies teachers can use to improve the quality of their instruction. Studies have shown teacher quality to be the top indicator of student achievement, with the effects of good teachers apparent even as students move on to successive grades. In this book, Grant, Hindman, and Stronge explore the relationship between teacher effectiveness and student learning. They provide a bridge between research-based theories and practical classroom applications. Templates, planning forms, and other reproducibles help teachers make a noticeable impact on student success using proven techniques and practices. Topics include tiered lessons, using assessment data, and much more.

Relationship Between Professional Development Expenditures and Student Achievement
Relationship Between Professional Development Expenditures and Student Achievement

Author: Elizabeth A. Dalton

Publisher:

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 140

ISBN-13:

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This study was based on convergence of two educational theories: 1) that professional development improves teacher quality and instructional practices and therefore positively affects student achievement and 2) allocation of school resources positively affects student achievement. It is a common educational belief that professional development activities influence teacher quality through increased content knowledge and instructional skills. It is assumed that once teachers incorporate new teaching skills, students will be more engaged in learning, and student achievement will increase. Recent research on professional development effectiveness provided little empirical evidence of professional development effectiveness (Guskey & Yoon, 2009). This study extended professional development effectiveness and resource allocation theories to professional development expenditures and student achievement. The research question was: What is the relationship between professional development expenditures and student achievement? This study collected and analyzed professional development expenditures and student achievement data for 2007 for middle and high schools (N=426, N=1234 respectively) in Texas. A partial correlation, controlling for socioeconomic status and English proficiency, revealed that there is no relationship between professional development expenditures and 8th grade student achievement in language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science. High school results revealed small, but negative relationships between professional development expenditures and student achievement in English, mathematics, and science. Consequently, the study concluded that expenditures for professional development are not yielding positive returns in the student achievement domain.

Designing Professional Development for Teachers of Science and Mathematics
Designing Professional Development for Teachers of Science and Mathematics

Author: Susan Loucks-Horsley

Publisher: Corwin Press

Published: 2009-11-24

Total Pages: 425

ISBN-13: 1452272557

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"This third edition represents the gold standard of resources for those working in the field of professional development. My staff and I highly recommend this book as a primary resource for designing and continuously improving professional development programs for teachers of science and mathematics. Unlike other resources, this unique and important book provides current research, an updated strategic planning framework, and access to a portfolio of best practices for informing your work." —Sally Goetz Shuler, Executive Director National Science Resources Center "In the 21st century when STEM education has become vital for our students and our nation and the importance of quality professional development has increased at least tenfold, this seminal work should be required reading for every education leader. It is both practical and scholarly in guiding a school toward a culture of continuous learning and improvement." —Harold Pratt, President, Science Curriculum Inc. Former President, National Science Teachers Association The classic guide for designing robust science and mathematics professional development programs! This expanded edition of one of the most widely cited resources in the field of professional learning for mathematics and science educators demonstrates how to design professional development for teachers that is directly linked to improving student learning. Presenting an updated professional development (PD) planning framework, the third edition of the bestseller reflects current research on PD design, underscores how beliefs and local factors can influence the PD design, illustrates a wide range of PD strategies, and emphasizes the importance of: Continuous program monitoring Combining strategies to address diverse needs Building cultures that sustain learning An inspiring blend of theory and practical wisdom, Designing Professional Development for Teachers of Science and Mathematics remains a highly regarded reference for improving professional practice and student achievement.

Evaluating Professional Development
Evaluating Professional Development

Author: Thomas R. Guskey

Publisher: Corwin Press

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 332

ISBN-13: 9780761975618

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Explains how to better evaluate professional development in order to ensure that it increases student learning, providing questions for accurate measurement of professional development and showing how to demonstrate results and accountability.

Assessing Impact
Assessing Impact

Author: Joellen Killion

Publisher: Corwin Press

Published: 2017-11-08

Total Pages: 327

ISBN-13: 150639597X

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Design high-impact professional learning programs with results-based evaluations With increasing accountability pressure for evidence-based strategies and ever-tightening budgets, you want to make sure that the time, effort, and resources you are investing in your professional learning programs is truly making an impact on educator effectiveness and student achievement. In this third edition of Assessing Impact, Joellen Killion guides administrators, professional learning leaders, school improvement teams, and evaluators step by step through the rigors of producing an effective, in-depth, results-based analysis of your professional learning programs. A recognized expert in professional learning, Killion emphasizes the critical role of evaluation in bolstering effectiveness and retaining stakeholder support for ongoing educator development. The methods outlined here help you: Adhere to changes in federal and state policy relating to professional learning and educator development Facilitate the use of extensive datasets crucial for measuring feasibility, equity, sustainability, and impact of professional learning Produce more powerful, data-driven professional learning programs that benefit both students and educators Evaluate the effectiveness and impact of professional learning to make data-informed decisions and increase quality and results Assessing Impact is a vital resource for staff developers and educational leaders seeking to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of professional learning, while retaining the support of parents and the public alike. Praise for the Second Edition: "Anyone who reads this book has to feel obligated to ′set their world on fire.′ The text not only forces the reader to see how we are failing our children and their teachers, it provides the means for each of us to do better." —Michael J. Ford, Superintendent Phelps-Clifton Springs CSD, Clifton Springs, NY