Showing papers on "Professional development published in 2002"

Professional Development and Teacher Change

Abstract: This article describes a model of teacher change originally presented nearly two decades ago (Guskey, 1986) that began my long and warm friendship with Michael Huberman. The model portrays the temporal sequence of events from professional development experiences to enduring change in teachers' attitudes and perceptions. Research evidence supporting the model is summarized and the conditions under which change might be facilitated are described. The development and presentation of this model initiated a series of professional collaborations between Michael and myself, and led to the development of our co-edited book, Professional Development in Education: new paradigms and practices (Guskey & Huberman, 1995), which was named 'Book of the Year' by the National Staff Development Council in 1996.

Effects of Professional Development on Teachers’ Instruction: Results from a Three-year Longitudinal Study

Abstract: This article examines the effects of professional development on teachers’ instruction. Using a purposefully selected sample of about 207 teachers in 30 schools, in 10 districts in five states, we examine features of teachers’ professional development and its effects on changing teaching practice in mathematics and science from 1996–1999. We found that professional development focused on specific instructional practices increases teachers’ use of those practices in the classroom. Furthermore, we found that specific features, such as active learning opportunities, increase the effect of the professional development on teacher’s instruction.

Defining Reflection: Another Look at John Dewey and Reflective Thinking

Abstract: Thinking, particularly reflective thinking or inquiry, is essential to both teachers’ and students’ learning. In the past 10 to 15 years numerous commissions, boards, and foundations as well as states and local school districts have identified reflection0 inquiry as a standard toward which all teachers and students must strive. However, although the cry for accomplishment in systematic, reflective thinking is clear, it is more difficult to distinguish what systematic, reflective thinking is. There are four problems associated with this lack of definition that make achievement of such a standard difficult. First, it is unclear how systematic reflection is different from other types of thought. Second, it is difficult to assess a skill that is vaguely defined. Third, without a clear picture of what reflection looks like, it has lost its ability to be seen and therefore has begun to lose its value. And finally, without a clear definition, it is difficult to research the effects of reflective teacher education and professional development on teachers’ practice and students’ learning. It is the purpose of this article to restore some clarity to the concept of reflection and what it means to think, by going back to the roots of reflection in the work of John Dewey. I look at four distinct criteria that characterize Dewey’s view and offer the criteria as a starting place for talking about reflection, so that it might be taught, learned, assessed, discussed, and researched, and thereby evolve in definition and practice, rather than disappear.

What Factors Facilitate Teacher Skill, Teacher Morale, and Perceived Student Learning in Technology-Using Classrooms?

Abstract: Based on a comprehensive study of 94 classrooms from four states in different geographic regions of the country, this quantitative study investigated the impact of seven factors related to school technology (planning, leadership, curriculum alignment, professional development, technology use, teacher openness to change, and teacher non-school computer use) on five dependent measures in the areas of teacher skill (technology competency and technology integration), teacher morale, and perceived student learning (impact on student content acquisition and higher order thinking skills acquisition). Stepwise regression resulted in models to explain each of the five dependent measures. Teacher technology competency was predicted by teacher openness to change. Technology integration was predicted by teacher openness to change and the percentage of technology use with others. Teacher morale was predicted by professional development and constructivist use of technology. Technology impact on content acquisition was predicted by the strength of leadership, teacher openness to change, and negatively influenced by teacher non-school computer use. Technology impact on higher-order thinking skills was predicted by teacher openness to change, the constructivist use of technology, and negatively influenced by percentage of technology use where students work alone. Implications for the adoption and use of school technologies are discussed.

Does It Make a Difference? Evaluating Professional Development

Abstract: Educators have long considered professional development to be their right— something they deserve as dedicated and hardworking individuals. But legislators and policymakers have recently begun to question that right. As education budgets grow tight, they look at what schools spend on professional development and want to know, Does the investment yield tangible payo s or could that money be spent in better ways? Such questions make e ective evaluation of professional development programs more important than ever.

Explaining risks: turning numerical data into meaningful pictures

Abstract: The way in which information is presented affects both how health professionals introduce it and how patients use it The “information age” has profound implications for the way we work The volume of information derives from biomedical and clinical evaluative sciences and is increasingly available to clinicians and patients through the world wide web1 We need to process information, derive knowledge, and disseminate the knowledge into clinical practice This is particularly challenging for doctors in the context of the consultation Information often highlights uncertainties, including collective professional uncertainty, which we address with more and better research; individual professional uncertainty, which we address with professional education and support for decisions; and stochastic uncertainty (the irreducible element of chance), which we address with effective risk communication about the harms and benefits of different options for treatment or care In this article we discuss whether the shift towards a greater use of information in consultations is helpful and summarise the current literature on risk communication We also explore how information can be used without losing the benefits that are traditionally associated with the art, rather than the science, of medicine #### Summary points Patients often desire more information than is currently provided Communicating about risks should be a two way process in which professionals and patients exchange information and opinions about those risks Professionals need to support patients in making choices by turning raw data into information that is more helpful to the discussions than the data “Framing” manipulations of information, such as using information about relative risk in isolation of base rates, to achieve professionally determined goals should be avoided “Decision aids” can be useful as they often include visual presentations of risk information and relate the information to more familiar risks RETURN TO TEXT This paper draws on systematic reviews and other key literature in the …

General Competencies And Accreditation In Graduate Medical Education

Abstract: Many have recommended changing the professional development of physicians Concluding that further educational process specification was inadequate, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) decided to specify six general competencies of graduate medical education (GME): patient care; medical knowledge; practice-based learning and improvement; professionalism; interpersonal skills and communication; and systems-based practice Coupling them with a developmental view of professional knowledge and skill acquisition, the ACGME invited further specification and development of desired learning from the extended medical specialty community, including the specialty boards This collaborative process offers a model of the role accrediting agencies can play in fostering workforce developmental change

Teaching and Learning in their Disciplinary Contexts: A conceptual analysis

Abstract: The growing literature on undergraduate teaching and learning currently lacks an organising framework. This article sets out to provide one, distinguishing between hard pure, soft pure, hard applied and soft applied fields of study, and hence making it possible to highlight generally unremarked similarities and differences between the various research findings. In doing so, it draws extensively on the relevant literature, offering separate analyses of knowledge-related and socially related studies. The former embody curriculum, assessment and cognitive purpose, while the latter encompass group characteristics of teachers, types of teaching method and student learning requirements. The concluding section draws out the main implications for policy and practice related to staff development, computer-based learning, assessment of student learning and quality measures.

The hidden side of the work: Teacher knowledge and learning to teach. A perspective from north American educational research on teacher education in English language teaching

Abstract: This paper argues that teachers' mental lives represent the ‘hidden side’ of teaching. It examines how teacher learning and teacher knowledge, as central attributes of those mental lives, have been conceptualized and studied since 1975 and traces connections to similar work in English language teaching (ELT) In this paper, I use the phrase ‘English language teaching,’ or (ELT), to refer to the teaching of English as a second, additional, or foreign language, known in the US as TESOL. I recognize that the phrase ELT is a bit problematic in that in the United States it can be taken to refer to English as mother tongue or first language instruction (language arts), while in Europe it would seem to be more accurately applied in this case.. While the majority of literature reviewed is drawn from the north American perspective, parallels are sketched in some of the emerging research in ELT teacher education. The analysis examines four broad families of issues: how teachers learn content and teaching practices, how teachers' mental processes are conceived, the role of prior knowledge in learning to teach, and the role of social and institutional context. Taken together, research in these areas suggests implications for the design and practice of teacher training and professional development in Second language teacher education.

How Can Comprehensive School Reform Models Be Successfully Implemented

Abstract: Comprehensive school reform, or CSR, a currently a popular approach to school improvement, is intended to foster schoolwide change that affects all aspects of schooling (e.g., curriculum, instruction, organization, professional development, and parent involvement). Federal, state, and local legislation and funding have supported CSR implementation, and in 1997 Congress enacted the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration program, which gives financial support to schools adopting such reforms. This article reviews and synthesizes the literature that documents CSR implementation, positing that the more specific, consistent, authoritative, powerful, and stable a policy is, the stronger its implementation will be. It finds that all five policy attributes contribute to implementation; in particular, specificity is related to implementation fidelity, power to immediate implementation effects, and consistency, authority, and stability to long-lasting change.

Telecommuting, professional isolation, and employee development in public and private organizations

Abstract: Summary This study employs a grounded theory methodology to compare the impact telecommuting has on public and private employees’ perceptions of professional isolation. It relied on 93 semi-structured interviews with telecommuters, non-telecommuters, and their respective supervisors in two high technology firms and two city governments. These organizations had active telecommuting programmes and a strong interest in making telecommuting a successful work option, providing an opportunity to investigate the challenges of telecommuting that existed even within friendly environments. The interviews demonstrated that professional isolation of telecommuters is inextricably linked to employee development activities (interpersonal networking, informal learning, and mentoring). The extent to which telecommuters experience professional isolation depends upon the extent to which these activities are valued in the workplace and the degree to which telecommuters miss these opportunities. Public respondents appeared to value these informal developmental activities less than private employees. Therefore, we stipulate that telecommuting is less likely to hinder the professional development of public sector employees than that of employees in the private sector. Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Learning from Japanese Approaches to Professional Development: The Case of Lesson Study

Abstract: This article first describes the Japanese professional development practice of lesson study and its articulation within the Japanese educational system. Next, insights gained from an empirical study that explored the feasibility of lesson study in a U.S. setting are discussed. More specifically, challenges to lesson study practice are highlighted, with particular attention paid to the difficulties faced by American teachers in trying to adopt the research focus that is inherent in lesson study. The article concludes with reflections about what the study of lesson study can teach us about efforts to improve teaching, which, like lesson study, center on having teachers examine their practice or that of others.

The Integration of Instructional Technology into Public Education: Promises and Challenges

Abstract: Introduction Will instructional technology (IT) ever be integrated into public schools? An interesting question—or rather a series of related questions of interest to educators and parents: What do we mean by “instructional technology”? What is integration? What is the current status of IT in classrooms? Are there constraints or barriers to integration? What are the effects of preservice teacher preparation and inservice professional development? How does one proceed with technology integration? How do we apply the lessons learned from “older” technologies to the “newer” technologies of the last two decades? This article will address each of these questions in order to help us to grasp the prospects for the integration of instructional technology into public education as well as to consider the promises and challenges of such a venture.

Research Training and Supervision Development

Abstract: Research education, or training, as it is often termed, is attracting greater scrutiny as research itself is seen of greater importance in the global knowledge economy. In turn, concerns to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of research supervision are leading to the introduction and extension of programmes for supervisor development. This article presents a framework for an approach to supervisor development, based on the assumption that in order to discuss supervisor development it is important to understand what supervisors do and why. The article examines the nature of the educative process for research students in the current research environment. It articulates the generic processes supervisors need to engage in for effective supervision, if students are to develop in differing institutional, disciplinary and professional contexts the appropriate expertise and attributes for employment; and presents an outline of what might constitute a flexible professional development programme for superviso...

The Relationship of Undergraduate Research Participation to Graduate and Professional Education Pursuit: An Empirical Study.

Abstract: In this study we investigate the relationshipof undergraduate research participation topursuit of graduate education and otheractivities. Data come from 291 surveyrespondents who provided information abouttheir post-undergraduate education pursuitsand activities. The findings indicate thatundergraduate research participants weresignificantly more likely to pursue graduateeducation and additional research activity.

The intentional mentor: Strategies and guidelines for the practice of mentoring.

Abstract: How can faculty in professional psychology programs become more intentional and effective mentors? Many psychology graduate students are never mentored, and very few psychologists have ever received training in the practice of mentoring. This article briefly summarizes the nature of mentoring, the prevalence of mentoring in psychology, primary obstacles to mentoring, and some ethical concerns unique to mentoring. The article provides several strategies to enhance mentoring and guidelines for the profession, departments of psychology, and individual psychologists who serve as mentors. This article is designed to help readers take a more deliberate approach to the practice of mentoring. Our system of higher education, though officially committed to the fostering of intellectual and personal development of students, provides mentoring that is generally limited in quantity and poor in quality. (Levinson, Darrow, Klein, Levinson, & McKee, 1978, p. 334) Are psychologists equipped to mentor? Do most psychologists who develop long-term helping relationships with graduate students and junior colleagues consider mentoring a distinct area of professional practice? Although mentoring relationships clearly benefit those mentored, the mentors themselves, and the profession of psychology (Bogat & Redner, 1985; Clark, Harden, & Johnson, 2000), and although psychologists are increasingly called upon to mentor junior colleagues (H. C. Ellis, 1992; Hardy, 1994; Murray, 1997), relatively few psychologists ever receive training or supervision in the art and science of mentoring. Graduate school faculty, pressed with demands for research, teaching, and committee work, seldom initiate mentor relationships (mentorships; Clark et al., 2000; Cronan-Hillix, Davidson, Cronan-Hillix, & Gensheimer, 1986) and rarely consider methods of explicitly structuring and managing those that exist (Johnson & Nelson, 1999). Further, many psychologists may implicitly assume that mentoring “just happens,” whereas others hold widely divergent views about what mentoring actually means. In this article, I encourage a deliberate transition in our profession’s conceptualization of mentoring—from secondary or collateral duty to intentional, professional activity. This will require adoption of a framework that casts mentoring as a distinct area of professional practice requiring intentional preparation and careful application. I present a brief review of the literature on the nature of mentoring and the prevalence of mentoring in the field of psychology. Recent publications from psychology are emphasized, with secondary attention to key research from the fields of management and education. I highlight essential obstacles to mentoring and ethical concerns specific to mentorships, and I offer strategies for enhancing intentional mentoring at organizational, departmental, and individual levels. My primary purpose is to offer some preliminary practice guidelines for psychologists who mentor. I predict that as more psychologists become intentional mentors,

Principal Leadership for Professional Development to Build School Capacity

Abstract: Based on a multiyear, qualitative study of urban elementary schools, this article examines the extent to which and the ways in which principal leadership for professional development at four schools addressed three aspects of school organizational capacity: teachers' knowledge, skills, and dispositions; professional community; and program coherence. Findings from the study indicate that effective principals can sustain high levels of capacity by establishing trust, creating structures that promote teacher learning, and either connecting their faculties to external expertise or helping teachers generate reforms internally. Study results also suggest that during transitions in school leadership, incoming principals must be cognizant of shared norms and values among their faculties before initiating new practices in curriculum, instruction, or school organization. Finally, study findings indicate that in future studies of principal effects, it may be useful for researchers to employ professional community an...

Teachers' Narrative Inquiry as Professional Development

Abstract: 1. Inquiry Into Experience: Teachers' Personal and Professional Growth, Johnson and Golombek Part I. Inquiry into Instructional Practices 2. And Now for Something Completely Different : Personal Meaning-Making for Secondary ESL Students...And Their Teachers, Johansen 3. Putting Theory Into Practice: Letting My Students Learn to Read, Herndon 4. Rewriting is More than Just Writing Again, Sackville 5. Action for Understanding: A Study in Teacher Research with Exploratory Practice, Johnson Part II. Inquiry into Language Learners 6. Who Is In This Classroom With Me? House 7. Talking at Length and Depth: Learning From Focus Group Discussions, Gibson 8. My Learning Through Journaling: Forgiveness as a Source of Power and the Communication of Voice in the Classroom, Esbenshade 9. Understanding Our Students' Families: The Hidden Community of International Wives, Winston and Soltman Part III. Inquiry into Language Teachers 10. A Tale of Names, Shi 11. Seeking Satisfaction, Sato 12. The Art of Drawing Theory: A Teacher's Personal and Professional Sense-Making, Robison Part IV. Inquiry Through Professional Collaborations 13. What I Learnt From Giving Quiet Children Space, Boshell 14. Talking Ourselves into Understanding, Mann

Top Ten Principles for Teaching Extensive Reading.

Abstract: This article puts forward ten principles for an extensive reading approach to teaching reading. They deal with the nature of extensive reading and the conditions and methodology necessary for its success. In the interests of professional development, the authors encourage teachers to use the principles as a tool to examine their beliefs about reading in general and extensive reading in particular, and the ways they teach reading. keywords: extensive reading, principles, teaching reading, professional development, teacher beliefs

The Role of Empathy in Teaching Culturally Diverse Students: A Qualitative Study of Teachers’ Beliefs

Abstract: This study provides a description of 34 practicing teachers’ beliefs regarding the role of empathy as an attribute in their effectiveness with culturally diverse students. Empathy involves cognitive, affective, and behavioral components that teachers believed were manifested in their practice. All of these teachers had participated in a multicultural professional development program geared to fostering culturally responsive practice. Through a content analysis of more than 125 documents, three themes in teachers’practices emerged: more positive interactions with culturally diverse students, more supportive classroom climates, and more student-centered practices. In addition, teachers discussed their most valuable learning experiences in the professional development course. These included a cross-cultural simulation, cultural immersion trips, and their own experiences as minorities. The results from this study underscore the importance of creating contexts in teacher education and professional development ...

Increasing women's leadership in academic medicine: report of the AAMC Project Implementation Committee.

Abstract: The AAMC's Increasing Women's Leadership Project Implementation Committee examined four years of data on the advancement of women in academic medicine. With women comprising only 14% of tenured faculty and 12% of full professors, the committee concludes that the progress achieved is inadequate. Because academic medicine needs all the leaders it can develop to address accelerating institutional and societal needs, the waste of most women's potential is of growing importance. Only institutions able to recruit and retain women will be likely to maintain the best housestaff and faculty. The long-term success of academic health centers is thus inextricably linked to the development of women leaders. The committee therefore recommends that medical schools, teaching hospitals, and academic societies (1) emphasize faculty diversity in departmental reviews, evaluating department chairs on their development of women faculty; (2) target women's professional development needs within the context of helping all faculty maximize their faculty appointments, including helping men become more effective mentors of women; (3) assess which institutional practices tend to favor men's over women's professional development, such as defining “academic success” as largely an independent act and rewarding unrestricted availability to work (i.e., neglect of personal life); (4) enhance the effectiveness of search committees to attract women candidates, including assessment of group process and of how candidates' qualifications are defined and evaluated; and (5) financially support institutional Women in Medicine programs and the AAMC Women Liaison Officer and regularly monitor the representation of women at senior ranks.

Defining Preparation and Professional Development for the Future.

Abstract: This article provides an overview of principal and superintendent preparation in the past and offers suggestions for the future development of such leaders. Implications for prin- cipal and superintendent preparation are that many essential skills and much important knowledge cannot be delivered by a traditional university-based program. Although the authors continue to support the preparation of principals and superintendents in university-based programs for these harsh and demanding times, they recommend that the programs (a) attend to belief, attitude, and philosophy; (b) deal with problems in practice; and (c) foster institutional arrangements to allow for coordination of efforts with schools. Preparation must be redesigned to reflect the findings of research on the advancement of professional practice. Preparation programs must be reorganized to reflect what we have learned from large-scale school improvement efforts. There must be closer association between higher education, the professional organizations, and dis- tricts themselves to provide preparation outside conventional classroom settings. This article reports on the current thinking about the position of principals and superintendents in America's schools. The article also provides conclu- sions on how we might restructure both the preparation and continued profes- sional development of these educational leaders. At the heart of this work are some fundamental notions about what superintendents and principals are obliged to do when children come to school under conditions of compulsory

The Defining Issues Test and the Four Component Model: Contributions to Professional Education.

Abstract: This article reviews studies examining the effect of professional education on ethical development Most studies limit assessment to the measurement of moral judgement, observing that moral judgement plateaus during professional school unless an ethics intervention is present Whereas interventions influence the shift to postconventional reasoning (the DIT P score), a more illuminating picture of change may emerge if researchers examined DIT profiles More importantly, limiting assessment to measures of moral judgement ignores important aspects of moral functioning suggested by the Four Component Model Assessment methods have been validated for sensitivity, reasoning, role concept and ethical implementation that could be adapted to provide individuals in a particular profession with a more complete picture of abilities needed for real-life professional practice

The Professional Development of Principals: Innovations and Opportunities

Abstract: This article articulates the importance of professional development programs as complementary to preservice preparation While on-the-job inservice programs offer preservice administrators a glimpse of the requirements for the position, they do not offer ample time to learn everything about the job prior to practicing This article offers information about sources of professional development including universities, professional associations, governmental agencies, and not-for-profit organizations Each source is analyzed, including the focus of the program, its purpose, curriculum, instructional strategies, location, internal coherence and integration of technology The article also provides examples of exemplary programs offered by each source

Language, Culture, and Teaching : Critical Perspectives

Abstract: Distinguished multiculturalist Sonia Nieto speaks directly to current and future teachers in this thoughtful integration of a selection of her key writings with creative pedagogical features. Offering information, insights, and motivation to teach students of diverse cultural, racial, and linguistic backgrounds, examples are included throughout to illustrate real-life dilemmas about diversity that teachers face in their own classrooms; ideas about how language, culture, and teaching are linked; and ways to engage with these ideas through reflection and collaborative inquiry. Designed for upper-undergraduate and graduate-level students and professional development courses, each chapter includes critical questions, classroom activities, and community activities suggesting projects beyond the classroom context. Language, Culture, and Teaching • explores how language and culture are connected to teaching and learning in educational settings; • examines the sociocultural and sociopolitical contexts of language and culture to understand how these contexts may affect student learning and achievement; • analyzes the implications of linguistic and cultural diversity for classroom practices, school reform, and educational equity; • encourages practicing and preservice teachers to reflect critically on their classroom practices, as well as on larger institutional policies related to linguistic and cultural diversity based on the above understandings; and • motivates teachers to understand their ethical and political responsibilities to work, together with their students, colleagues, and families, for more socially just classrooms, schools, and society. Changes in the Third Edition: This edition includes new and updated chapters, section introductions, critical questions, classroom and community activities, and resources, bringing it up-to-date in terms of recent educational policy issues and demographic changes in the U.S. and beyond. The new chapters reflect Nieto’s current thinking about the profession and society, especially about changes in the teaching profession, both positive and negative, since the publication of the second edition of this text.