Professional development

About: Professional development is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 81108 publications have been published within this topic receiving 1316681 citations.

Stopping the Revolving Door: Increasing Teacher Retention

Abstract: Schools around the nation are facing an alarming phenomenon: beginning teachers are leaving schools at a startling rate. Thirty-three percent of teachers leave their schools in the first three years, 46 percent after five years. These high attrition rates result in inexperienced teachers, high economic costs as teachers must be continually hired and trained, and a lack of continuity that makes institutional development and planning difficult. There is a plethora of causes for teacher attrition, although most involve nonsalary-related dissatisfaction, such as excessive workloads and high-stakes testing, disruptive student behavior, poor leadership and administration within schools, and views of teaching as a temporary profession. Likewise, the most successful remedies to increase teacher retention are not salary-based. Several studies have found that moderate salary increases are only marginally effective; raises of 20 percent would be needed to make a significant impact. Rather, improving teachers' work environment and professional development are more cost effective and influential in convincing teachers to remain. An induction and mentoring program in California, for example, reduced teacher attrition by 26 percent in just two years. We conclude, therefore, that well-operated induction and mentoring programs are the best method for increasing teacher retention.

The Teaching Portfolio: Capturing the Scholarship in Teaching.

Abstract: In recent years, the teaching portfolio has become an increasingly frequent topic of discussion within the academy, nationally as well as locally. Many are compelled by the logic of using teaching portfolios as a means of documenting our effectiveness as teachers. Teaching is a complex process (and skill) that requires a complex approach to accurately measuring its effectiveness; the teaching portfolio allows for that kind of complexity. Seeing the logic of a teaching portfolio, however, is often easier than setting about the task of preparing one. Accordingly, this packet has been designed to provide an annotated list of some useful readings on the topic as well as some general guidelines for getting started. Originally designed to complement an Institute seminar, these guidelines can also be used individually and in groups as the basis for discussion and self-reflection. Additional consultation on designing a portfolio is also available from the Institute (call for an appointment). Finally, as you work through these materials and the portfolio development process, remember that the teaching portfolio is just that-an ongoing process.Answers to Common Questions about the Teaching Portfolio," chapter 5 of Peter Seldin's The Teaching Portfolio: A Practical Guide to Improved Performance and Promotion/Tenure Decisions, 2nd ed. Together, these two readings provide an overview of the teaching portfolio, its uses and benefits. In these readings you will find discussion of the format and content of portfolios, and straightforward responses to several common questions, providing guidance for individuals and departments who are beginning to use portfolios. (For several other suggested readings on teaching portfolios, see the bibliography.) Getting Started Planning Before assembling your portfolio, begin planning by thinking about purpose and audience. Teachers develop portfolios for a range of purposes-job searches, departmental reviews, award nominations, and other situations-and each brings an audience with a unique set of expectations and needs. Reflecting on purpose and audience can help give shape to your portfolio. • What is your main purpose in creating this portfolio? What basic argument about your teaching will you make, and why? • Who are the primary readers? What do you know about their beliefs about good teaching? Are their beliefs consistent with your own? • What types of evidence of teaching effectiveness will be most convincing to these readers? What evidence will they expect to find?

Cognitive activation in the mathematics classroom and professional competence of teachers : Results from the COACTIV project

Abstract: .- The COACTIV Model of Teachers' Professional Competence.- Teacher Education in Germany.- The Development of Teachers' Professional Competence.- The COACTIV Research Program: Methodological Framework.- The Model of Instructional Quality in COACTIV: A Multicriteria Analysis.- Task Analysis in COACTIV: Examining the Potential for Cognitive Activation in German Mathematics Classrooms.- Mathematics Teachers' Domain-Specific Professional Knowledge: Conceptualization and Test Construction in COACTIV.- The Effect of Content Knowledge and Pedagogical Content Knowledge on Instructional Quality and Student Achievement.- Teachers' General Pedagogical/Psychological Knowledge.- The Diagnostic Skills of Mathematics Teachers.- Mathematics Teachers' Beliefs.- Motivation as an Aspect of Professional Competence: Research Findings on Teacher Enthusiasm.- General Occupational Motivation and Self-Regulation.- Individual Characteristics of Prospective Teachers.- Learning at University.- Professional Development Across the Teaching Career.- The COACTIV Research Program On Teachers' Professional Competence: Summary and Discussion.- Publications from the COACTIV Research Program (April 2012).

Promoting the development of preschool children’s emergent literacy skills: a randomized evaluation of a literacy-focused curriculum and two professional development models

Abstract: To date, there have been few causally interpretable evaluations of the impacts of preschool curricula on the skills of children at-risk for academic difficulties, and even fewer studies have demonstrated statistically significant or educationally meaningful effects. In this cluster-randomized study, we evaluated the impacts of a literacy-focused preschool curriculum and two types of professional development on the emergent literacy skills of preschool children at-risk for educational difficulties. Forty-eight preschools were randomly assigned to a business-as-usual control, a literacy-focused curriculum with workshop-only professional development, or a literacy-focused curriculum with workshop plus in-class mentoring professional development conditions. An ethnically diverse group of 739 preschool children was assessed on language and literacy outcomes. Results revealed significant and moderate effects for the curriculum and small, mostly nonsignificant, effects of professional development across child outcomes and classroom measures.

How Does the Quality and Stability of the Teaching Force Influence the Research-to-Practice Gap? A Perspective on the Teacher Shortage in Special Education

Abstract: Although effective practices have been developed to address the needs of a wide range of students with disabilities, evidence suggests a limited use of these practices. Potential contributors to the research-to-practice gap focus on problems with pre-service teacher preparation, professional development, and the nature of research. The authors present evidence that the lack of well-qualified special education teachers, the instability of special education teachers in teaching positions (i.e., attrition and migration), and inadequate work conditions contribute to the research-to-practice gap. They also address the need for comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained efforts to reduce the teacher shortage and improve the likelihood that special educators have the work conditions needed to use effective practices.