In this tutorial, I'll introduce you to the concept of collaborative professional development. We'll begin by discussing the significance and purpose of professional development, in general. I'll then share some reasons why schools and districts implement collaborative professional development. And we'll look at the links between professional development and teacher evaluation, between peer coaching and professional development, and between professional development and social media. Let's get started.
Let's begin by discussing the significance and the purpose of professional development, in general. In very basic terms, we know that professional development is important in creating opportunities for ongoing growth for teachers. But educational research tells us that access to highly effective teachers is one of the most influential factors in increasing student achievement. This means that we are increasing our focus on professional development that is going to adhere to research-based best practices in order to create those highly effective, highly trained teachers.
Why might collaborative professional development be an effective tool in bringing about these desired results? Though it may not at this point in time be considered a common practice, collaborative professional development is, indeed, becoming more common, including opportunities like un-conferences, informal edcamps, and more formal professional learning community groups. In addition to these innovative practices that are being put in place in collaborative PD at the school and district level, teachers can also develop collaborative professional development plans in the context of their PLC or in any group of teachers that are sharing a common goal.
Research on the topic of adult learning tells us that adult learners tend to be self-directed and self-reflective. They want to and should be involved in determining their professional development needs and in creating their professional development opportunities.
Research also tells us that teachers learn best when they have the opportunity to collaborate with their peers. And so, we need to find that balance between giving teachers individual choices and individual control in their professional development and allowing these opportunities for collaboration. Situated learning theory also tells us that learning is most effective when the training is directly related to teachers classroom experiences. And so throughout this course, we are going to be analyzing the connections between collaborative professional development and various theories on learning.
It's also important to see the links between professional development and teacher evaluation. In fact, developing a professional growth plan is an integral part of many teacher evaluation models. Many schools and districts are truly beginning to see the value that there is in allowing and even encouraging teachers to engage in collaboration as they're developing these professional growth plans.
There are benefits to grouping together teachers who want to develop similar strategies or skills, or who are interested in working together on site-based initiatives. One possible way to accomplish this is through the use of peer-to-peer coaching in professional development. This type of collaborative professional development allows teachers to observe their peers, and to both provide and receive peer feedback. This might occur through formal instructional coaching or through more informal peer-to-peer coaching.
All of the various coaching methods are connected to numerous learning theories and even to social networking. So let's take a moment to discuss this connection between professional development and social media.
The increasing use of social media, including sites like Facebook and Twitter, is allowing for new opportunities for teachers to engage in professional development. This can include peer-to-peer sharing and learning. Social media may be a particularly helpful method for communication for teachers who maybe are the only teacher in their building with a particular certification. Or for teachers who find that they're lacking in like-minded peers in their school or in their district.
Here's a chance for you to stop and reflect. Does your current professional development plan include collaborative opportunities? For more information on how to apply what you learned in this video, please view the Additional Resources section that accompanies this video presentation. The Additional Resources section includes hyperlinks useful for applications of the course material, including a brief description of each resource.
Thanks for joining me. Have a great day.
(00:00 - 00:30) Introduction
(00:31 - 01:09) Significance and Purpose of Professional Development
(01:10 - 02:54) Reasons for Implementing Collaborative Professional Development
(02:55 - 03:37) PD and Teacher Evaluation
(03:38 - 04:11) PD Through Coaching
(04:12 - 04:54) PD and Social Media
(04:55 - 05:24) Stop and Reflect
Teaching & Learning Exploratory
This Michigan School of Education resource offers videos and professional learning for teacher growth and development. It is a recommended resource from the Measures of Effective Teaching Project.
https://tle.soe.umich.edu/
Multiple Measures of Effective Teaching
These Teaching Channel videos are excellent points of entry for professional learning and dialogue.
https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/improving-teacher-performance