Core features of PD cited in several studies that seem to enhance teachers’ knowledge, skills, and changes in teaching practice are: a focus on content knowledge, active or inquiry-oriented learning approaches, and a high level of coherence with other reform activities and standards in the teachers’ local school contexts (Penuel, Fishman, Yamaguchi, & Gallagher, 2007). However, no common set of activities, designs, or best practices has empirically been linked to an effect on student learning outcomes. Nonetheless, an assortment of more robust approaches to examining professional development for educators has emerged. Here is a brief sampling of some key studies and large-scale and national reports on professional development for teachers.

TNTP MIRAGE REPORT (2015)

The MIRAGE Report, conducted by The New Teacher Project, showed that districts have been making a huge investment in teacher improvement, much more than most people are aware. Despite these efforts, most teachers were not found to improve substantially from year to year, even though many have not yet mastered critical skills. When teachers were seen to have improved, TNTP researchers were unable to link that growth to any particular development strategy.

School systems are not necessarily helping teachers understand that they have room to improve or how to improve. Teachers are often bombarded with help, but most of it is not helpful to them as professionals or to schools seeking better instruction. There is a need to redefine professional “development” clearly and to provide feedback to teaching professionals based on measured progress. Existing professional learning supports and programs as well as how teachers are supported needs to be re-evaluated. This includes restructuring educators’ jobs and the preparation and certification process. School systems must invest at scale in effective PD to truly support professional development and growth of their educators.

For further reading, see The New Teacher Project (TNTP). (2015). The Mirage: Confronting the Hard Truth About Our Quest for Teacher Development. Retrieved from https://tntp.org/assets/documents/TNTP-Mirage_2015.pdf.

THE STATE OF TEACHER PROFESSIONAL LEARNING: RESULTS FROM A NATIONWIDE SURVEY (2016)

While there is progress, much work remains to be done to support teachers in their professional growth. School districts have increased their commitment to professional development and professional growth of teachers; however, teachers are still not always included in the planning of PD, which the study identifies as a drawback. Also, in most instances, there remains a lack of time incorporated into the school day for teachers to follow-up on professional development and apply new skills and practices into the classroom. Most PD still occurs on in-service days or during the summer on the teachers’ own time. It is worth noting that increasingly student data are being used to plan PD, although they are not necessarily used to assess the effectiveness of PD.

For further reading, see Learning Forward (2016). The State of Teacher Professional Learning: Results from a Nationwide Survey. Retrieved from https://learningforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/the-state-of-teacher-professional-learning-2017.pdf.

Why Professional Development Matters (2010)

Professional development yields three levels of results: (a) educators learn new knowledge and skills; (b) educators use what they learn to improve their teaching and leadership; and (c) student learning and achievement improve because educators use what they learned in professional development. Professional development provides ongoing opportunities for educators to continue improving their knowledge and skills, in order to help students achieve.

For further reading, see Mizell, H. (2010). Why Professional Development Matters. Oxford, OH: Learning Forward. Retrieved from https://learningforward.org/report/professional-development-.

Professional Development in the United States: Trends and Challenges (2010)

This report is part II of a three-part report that analyzes the status of professional development in the United States. While some progress is being made in providing increased support and mentoring for new teachers, the study also reveals that the U.S. “has moved backward in providing the vast majority of teachers with the kind of ongoing, intensive professional learning” that has a substantial positive impact on students’ learning. While more teachers than before had access to professional development in the content they teach, the intensity of professional development in all other areas of professional learning declined. Additionally, there is an alarming lack of PD about teaching students with disabilities.

As seen in the report, U.S. investments in teacher professional development increasingly focused on some of the most ineffective models of PD, i.e., short-term workshops unlikely to influence teacher practice or student learning outcomes. These are described as “short, episodic, and disconnected from practice” and as having little impact. The report describes the overall direction of teacher professional development in the United States over the past decade by types of school districts and by States. It found that the trend toward short-term workshops is beginning to be reversed.

For further reading, see Wei, R. C., Darling-Hammond, L., & Adamson, F. (2010). Professional development in the United States: Trends and challenges. Dallas, TX. National Staff Development Council. Retrieved from https://edpolicy.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/publications/professional-development-united-states-trends-and-challenges.pdf.

Science Teachers Learning: Enhancing Opportunities, Creating Supportive Contexts (2015)

While all professionals need opportunities to keep pace with advances in their field, science teachers need to both refresh their understanding of science and keep informed of new research on student learning. Unfortunately, learning opportunities are not equally useful, relevant, or of high quality, and teachers are largely left on their own to navigate, evaluate, and use the many options for PD. Science teachers benefit from rich understandings of scientific ideas and concepts and also need to practice science themselves. Through that experience, they can then introduce this new knowledge into the learning setting with a range of students.

Effective professional development programs provide teachers with opportunities to practice, and reflect on, new instructional strategies, to analyze student thinking and student work, and to consider examples of the target instructional practices. In these contexts, evidence of improved student learning outcomes emerge.

For further reading, see National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2015). Science Teachers Learning: Enhancing Opportunities, Creating Supportive Contexts. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Retrieved from http://www.nap.edu/21836.

2012 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education: Highlights Report (2013)

This survey of science educators participating in professional learning found that teachers attended workshops on science or science teaching with greater numbers of teachers participating in professional learning communities (PLCs), lesson studies, and teacher study groups. Additionally, many other teachers received feedback on their science teaching from a coach or mentor. Increasingly as well, teachers have been attending national, state, and regional science teacher association conferences and meetings as a means of sustaining their professional development over time.

For further reading, see Horizon Research, Inc. (2013). 2012 National survey of science and mathematics education: Highlights Report. Chapel Hill, NC: Author. Retrieved from http://www.horizon-research.com/2012-national-survey-of-science-and-mathematics-education-highlights-report-2.

“Standards for Professional Learning”

According to the “Learning Forward: The Professional Learning Association” website, “Professional learning that increases educator effectiveness and results for all students:

• occurs within learning communities committed to continuous improvement, collective responsibility, and goal alignment;
• requires prioritizing, monitoring, and coordinating resources for educator learning.
• integrates theories, research, and models of human learning to achieve its intended outcomes;
• aligns its outcomes with educator performance and student curriculum standards.
• requires skillful leaders who develop capacity, advocate, and create support systems for professional learning;
• uses a variety of sources and types of student, educator, and system data to plan, assess, and evaluate professional learning; and
• applies research on change and sustains support for implementation of professional learning for long term change.”

For further reading and the standards, see Learning Forward (2011). Standards for Professional Learning. Retrieved from https://learningforward.org/standards-for-professional-learning.

NSTA Position Statement: Professional Development in Science Education

Students must “have sufficient knowledge of and skills in science. Studies suggest that high-quality teaching can make a significant difference in student learning.” A “high-quality science teacher workforce requires meaningful, ongoing professional development. To achieve this goal, schools and school systems must devote time and resources to effective professional development for all K–16 teachers of science and science educators to support learning throughout their careers.”

For further reading and the standards, see NSTA. (n.d.). NSTA Position Statement: Professional Development in Science Education. Retrieved from https://www.nsta.org/about/positions/profdev.aspx.