Make Professional Learning Count
Reflecting on the foundations that underpin the effectiveness of professional learning permits us to consider a shift in our priority, so that the leadership of professional learning can be viewed with joined up thinking for whole school improvement.
The research-informed report, School Improvement through Professional Development (Teacher Development Trust, 2020), suggests the following shifts: from improvement as a series of initiatives to be implemented, to building cultures, systems and habits that foster improvement; from culture as ingredients of effective implementation to implementation being an ingredient of effective culture; from continued professional learning as a vehicle for getting ideas into schools, to continued professional learning as a habit of effective teams.
Indeed, effective, sustained and relevant leadership development and professional learning is central to school improvement, yet schools often face problems in:
Effectively evaluating and planning professional development.
Implementing professional learning with fidelity for meaningful learning and sustained impact.
Integrating the school performance management and professional learning system for reduced workload and greater impact.
Three key dimensions exist when it comes to the effectiveness of professional learning:
Leadership. There is substantial evidence to support that successful school leaders draw on the same repertoire of leadership practices inclusive of being focused on teaching and learning, data-based decision making, having strong core values, promoting and participating in teacher learning and development, and cultivating cultures of collaboration. School leaders are also fundamental in driving effective implementation of continued professional learning and creating the conditions in which it can be sustained. Leadership matters and Leadership of Professional Learning matters.
Culture. School culture influences the extent to which a collaborative professional environment is fostered, where “high quality conversations happen, where colleagues trust and respect each other, where every voice is valued, and where staff feel supported and engaged” (Weston, Hindley & Cunningham, 2021). Culture matters.
Context. Each school has unique features and characteristics, with operating environments that affect the quality and degree of support which is provided for staff. Context dictates the extent to which staff engage with quality professional learning. Context matters.
In the words of Headteacher, Stephen Tierney, “Planning an evidence informed school is a process not an event. If you commit, you’ll need to commit for many years to plan and implement….Often we have too many initiatives, the wrong initiatives and poor implementation of them….We need the best part of six months to a year; we tend to give it five minutes.” Schools bear the responsibility to make professional learning count and ensure staff are continuously learning as professionals.
Consider…
A logic-model approach:
Goal. Identify the overall vision for professional learning in alignment with school development goals. Beginning with the end in mind will allow the main goals to frame any plans made.
Outcome. State what will be different/changed as a result of reaching the goal. Determine the range of high quality data needed to measure the attainment of each goal.
Input. Generate a list of the professional learning experiences and resources that members of the learning community will engage in to develop and hone their knowledge, skills, and competences.
Activity. Identify the specific activities that will be undertaken to plan, prepare and lead. Each activity will result from an input and lead to achieving a professional learning goal.
What will YOU do next to understand…
What is working?
What is working so-so?
What is not working?
How will you know? What are suggestions for improvements? What would be helpful to you?
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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.