Effective Professional Development: What the Research Says

Effective Professional Development: What the Research Says

InPraxis Group Inc.

ALBERTA EDUCATION CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION DATA

InPraxis Group Inc. Effective professional development : what the research says.

Note: In Praxis developed this report for the School Improvement Branch, Basic Learning, Alberta Education.

ISBN 0-7785-4752-3

1. Teachers - In-service training - Alberta. 2. Team learning approach in education - Alberta. 3. Educational leadership - Alberta. 4. School improvement programs - Alberta. 5. Educational change - Alberta. I. Title. II. Alberta. Alberta Education. School Improvement Branch.

LB1731.A333 2006

371.71

The views in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Alberta Education.

Questions or concerns regarding this document can be addressed to the School Improvement Branch, Alberta Education. Telephone 780?427?3160. To be connected toll-free inside Alberta dial 310?0000 first.

Several Web sites are listed in this document. These sites are listed as a service only to identify potentially useful ideas for teaching and learning. Alberta Education is not responsible for maintaining these external sites, nor does the listing of these sites constitute or imply endorsement of their content. The responsibility to evaluate these sites rests with the user. Note: All Web site addresses were confirmed as accurate at the time of retrieval but are subject to change.

Copyright ? 2006, the Crown in Right of Alberta, as represented by the Minister of Education. Alberta Education, School Improvement Branch, 44 Capital Boulevard, 10044 ? 108 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T5J 5E6.

Every effort has been made to provide proper acknowledgement of original sources. If cases are identified where this has not been done, please notify Alberta Education so appropriate corrective action can be taken.

Permission is given by the copyright owner to reproduce this document for educational purposes and on a non-profit basis, with the exception of materials cited for which Alberta Education does not own copyright.

Effective Professional Development: What the Research Says

InPraxis developed this report for the School Improvement Branch, Basic Learning, Alberta Education.

It was contracted as a result of the Alberta Commission on Learning recommendations and professional development initiatives linked to the Alberta Initiative for School Improvement. It is intended to support school authorities by summarizing research on professional development.

This report summarizes many influences on professional development, and explores commonalities in the indicators of effective professional development.

It also examines the role of evaluation of professional development initiatives and provides a synthesis of common elements of effective evaluation practices.

This document does not cover the work currently being done in Alberta by our education partners.

The views in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Alberta Education.

Section 1 ............................................................................................................ 1

Conceptions and understandings of professional development

Section 2 .......................................................................................................... 17

Processes and approaches related to professional development

Section 3 .......................................................................................................... 23

Effective environments for professional development

Section 4 .......................................................................................................... 33

Evaluation of professional development

Section 5 .......................................................................................................... 41

Indicators of effectiveness

Annotated bibliography .................................................................................. 46

Section 1

Conceptions and understandings of professional development

Effective Professional Development: What the Research Says

?Alberta Education, Alberta, Canada

Section 1 / 1 2006

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