The Impact of Learner-Centered Professional Development on Teacher Practice
Location
Walsh B
Proposal Track
Research Project
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
In recent studies, researchers found that, while 90 percent of teachers reported participating in professional development, most of those teachers reported that it was not effective for improving their practice (Darling-Hammond et al, 2009; Garet, Porter, Desimone, Birman & Yoon, 2001; Desimone, Porter, Garet, Yoon & Birman, 2002; Corcoran & Foley, 2003). These findings indicate that the real issue is not that teachers are not provided with professional development, but that the typical modes of professional development are ineffective at changing teacher practices and/or student learning. Therefore, there is a need to explore new ways of conducting effective professional development for teachers. This presentation will describe a study that investigated the impact of a learner-centered model of professional development on maximizing the effects of teacher training on student learning.
Professional development workshops, geared towards helping teachers utilize technology for the differentiation of their mathematics instruction, were conducted over the course of two summers, with teachers from two high-needs areas in the state of Georgia, as part of a Teacher Quality grant. Findings from interviews, observations, and lesson plans will be presented, in an effort to assess the impact of the described model on teachers’ practice.
Keywords
professional development, learner-centered model, differentiation, technology, mathematics
Recommended Citation
Foster, Ardyth and Kim, Jackie, "The Impact of Learner-Centered Professional Development on Teacher Practice" (2016). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 41.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2016/2016/41
The Impact of Learner-Centered Professional Development on Teacher Practice
Walsh B
In recent studies, researchers found that, while 90 percent of teachers reported participating in professional development, most of those teachers reported that it was not effective for improving their practice (Darling-Hammond et al, 2009; Garet, Porter, Desimone, Birman & Yoon, 2001; Desimone, Porter, Garet, Yoon & Birman, 2002; Corcoran & Foley, 2003). These findings indicate that the real issue is not that teachers are not provided with professional development, but that the typical modes of professional development are ineffective at changing teacher practices and/or student learning. Therefore, there is a need to explore new ways of conducting effective professional development for teachers. This presentation will describe a study that investigated the impact of a learner-centered model of professional development on maximizing the effects of teacher training on student learning.
Professional development workshops, geared towards helping teachers utilize technology for the differentiation of their mathematics instruction, were conducted over the course of two summers, with teachers from two high-needs areas in the state of Georgia, as part of a Teacher Quality grant. Findings from interviews, observations, and lesson plans will be presented, in an effort to assess the impact of the described model on teachers’ practice.
