<div> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">I couldn't agree more with Beverly Wilson's observation that the sole purpose of PD should be to improve learner outcomes. I begin my trainings with exactly that sentence. And I make it clear that participants will be expected to change something in their practice that will directly impact learner outcomes. <br>
<br>
However, what I do not see in Beverly's comments is the component of learner input into what their needs actually are. I am pretty amazed at how little teachers know about their learners and how infrequently they consult the learners about what the learner actually needs, wants, or sees as the problem in his or her learning. I am equally astounded at how frequently teachers and programs make decisions about what is "good" for learners and then are surprised and disappointed when learners vote with their feet when their needs are not being met. To my mind, PD efforts need to start from the point that teachers will find ways to help learners identify their individual learning goals and then the PD needs to be shaped in ways that support teachers' needs in being able to respond to the needs of their learners as the learners express them. <br>
<br>
Robin Lovrien Schwarz<br>
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-----Original Message-----<br>
From: NORA ONAYEMI <norlon20770@yahoo.com><br>
To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List <professionaldevelopment@nifl.gov><br>
Sent: Tue, 13 Nov 2007 6:00 pm<br>
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment 1728] Re: ProfessionalDevelopment Digest, Vol 26, Issue 18<br>
<br>
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Thanks Beverly for addressing the tangent of the topic.<br>
<br>
Nora A. Onayemi<br>
GED/ESOL Inastructor<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<b><i>"Wilson, Beverly" <<a href="mailto:Beverly.Wilson@azed.gov">Beverly.Wilson@azed.gov</a>></i></b> wrote:<blockquote class="replbq" style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"> The discussion generated by this topic has been fascinating. I think the<br>
postings are especially valuable because they reflect the complexity and<br>
personal commitment that each educator needs to make in order to advance<br>
their own learning and growth so their students are successful. Just as<br>
schools need to change to be more responsive to the needs of students,<br>
the professional development systems need to change to better meet the<br>
needs to educators. The days of attending conferences to reward teachers<br>
or used as an incentive for a select few are gone (or should be).<br>
Requiring teachers to attend 2-5 professional development workshops each<br>
year with a
smorgasbord of activities without a clear objective or<br>
purpose should also be examined. <br>
<br>
The sole purpose of professional development is to improve student<br>
learning and outcomes. Therefore, professional development planning<br>
should begin with analyzing multiple data sets, including student<br>
testing and demographic data, teacher demographics and educational<br>
experience, program/organizational processes, etc. The planning for<br>
professional development should be a program/organizational focus. After<br>
the program/school staff analyzes the data, the staff can select the<br>
appropriate goals that will improve student achievement and outcomes.<br>
Then the staff can design the professional development plan for the<br>
organization and the staff to meet the goals. Individual professional<br>
development plans would then align to the student and organizational<br>
goal(s). Whether you are a K-12 teacher, community college or university<br>
instructor, or an adult
educator, the process of planning for<br>
professional development should be the same process. <br>
<br>
The research on teacher change that Dr. Christine Smith and J. Hofer<br>
(2003) conducted has important implications for the field of adult<br>
education. Their findings also support the work of Lindstrom and Speck<br>
(2004) that focused on the professional development process and the<br>
impact and use of different types of PD. Conferences and the one-time<br>
and series of workshops had the least impact on teacher change-less than<br>
10%, whereas teacher observation and practice, feedback and coaching,<br>
action research and cycle of inquiry, and job embedded activities have a<br>
much greater impact on teacher change-85-90%. If we are relying solely<br>
on conferences and workshops to roll out new practices without the<br>
follow-up activities and integrated processes necessary for teachers to<br>
change, then we are being unrealistic. We don't expect our students
to<br>
increase their knowledge and skills without on-going practice and<br>
support, so why should we expect this from teachers?<br>
<br>
In the adult education field, our challenge is to design a professional<br>
development system that engages and supports teachers who may work<br>
part-time as adult educators, and may also hold another full-time job<br>
that may or may not be in the education profession. In my opinion, one<br>
of the primary components of building a foundation for professional<br>
development is to create professional development standards. These<br>
standards could serve as the framework of what we need to know and be<br>
able to do to improve student learning. These standards would need to<br>
provide enough flexibility to ensure that each adult educator and<br>
organization could plan professional development to support their<br>
student learning needs. However, the standards should include the<br>
framework for the types of professional development needed to
facilitate<br>
teacher change. <br>
<br>
<br>
Beverly Wilson, M.Ed.<br>
Professional Learning Manager<br>
Arizona Department of Education<br>
Adult Education Services<br>
602.364.2727<br>
<br>
"</blockquote><br>
<br>
<br>
Life is a journey, pay attention to your divine map for your grace is encoded. Don't miss it!
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