Measuring Professional Learning Impact
Measuring the impact of professional learning requires validity and reliability through multiple data sources along with evaluative thinking to cater to different stakeholder needs.
Schools might consider utilising a leadership PD (professional development) continuum, to assess progress from minimal to substantial impact on professional learning. A framework, such as this, aligned with accreditation standards can help leadership teams measure success across school divisions.
Taking a backwards design approach to understand PD programme impact, Guskey’s Five-Level Model offers a comprehensive evaluation framework, ranging from participants’ reactions to the ultimate impact on student outcomes. Each level builds upon the previous, and from a school’s perspective, necessitates data collection across multiple stages, such as questionnaires, learning logs and observations.
Assessing professional practice and teacher effectiveness involves frameworks like Danielson’s and Pianta’s models, emphasising self-reflection and evidence-informed teaching. Gathering data from lesson observations, student ratings, and classroom artifacts informs a reflective and supportive process , helping to foster sustained and continuous growth and supports aligning professional development with student impacts.
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FURTHER READING:
Gusky, T. R., (2016) Gauge Impact with Five Levels of Data. Learning Forward.