Make Professional Learning Count
Professional learning is crucial because it directly impacts student achievement through teacher effectiveness.
Research, including John Hattie's work, emphasises that collective teacher efficacy—the belief among teachers in their ability to positively influence learning—has the greatest effect on student success.
International schools bear the responsibility to ensure their educators are continuously trained in modern and effective practices. However, not all professional development (PD) initiatives succeed in changing leadership effectiveness, teacher practices or improving student learning. Incorporating adult learning theory, which values adults' autonomy, practical application, and relevance to real-world challenges, can enhance PD effectiveness. Personalised and inclusive professional learning, tailored to the diverse needs of international school educators, can foster collective efficacy, improving both teacher competence and student outcomes.
We have learned that this approach respects the individuality of each educator while promoting whole-school progress, ultimately benefiting the entire learning community.
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FURTHER READING:
Donohoo, J. 2017. Collective teacher efficacy research: implications for professional learning. Journal of Professional Capital, 2(2), 101-116.