The 'No Eye-Roll' PD Guarantee: How to Deliver Valuable PD

Outline

Session Outline: The No I Roll PD Guarantee
Total Time: 30 minutes

1. Introduction and Session Goals (3 minutes)
Content: Briefly outline session objectives: identifying common PD pitfalls and presenting strategies for creating effective, teacher-valued PD.
Engagement: Quick device-based poll (via Mentimeter or Poll Everywhere) asking, “What frustrates you most about traditional PD?”
Process: Device-based activity to establish relevance and engage the audience right away.
2. Common Pitfalls of PD (5 minutes)
Content: Overview of common challenges (e.g., lack of relevance, no follow-up) and their impact on teacher engagement.
Engagement: “Think-pair-share” where participants discuss a frustrating PD experience and why it wasn’t effective.
Process: Peer-to-peer interaction to connect content with real experiences.
3. Key Strategies for Effective PD (10 minutes)
Content: Present three key strategies for creating effective PD:
Relevance and practicality
Teacher autonomy and choice
Active learning and collaboration
Engagement: Quick case study: Participants, in small groups, redesign a sample ineffective PD session using these strategies, followed by a share-out.
Process: Peer collaboration in small groups for active problem-solving.
4. Actionable Tools: "Use it Tomorrow" Strategies (7 minutes)
Content: Share practical, ready-to-use strategies for PD, such as quick reflection prompts, choice-driven formats, and collaborative activities.
Engagement: Participants create a "Use it Tomorrow" action plan, identifying one specific strategy to apply in their next PD.
Process: Individual reflection followed by peer sharing to build accountability and practical takeaway.
5. Q&A and Wrap-Up (5 minutes)
Content: Summarize key takeaways and respond to questions.
Engagement: Participants submit questions via a digital platform (e.g., Padlet) for a quick, interactive Q&A session.
Process: Device-based Q&A ensures all voices are heard in a short time frame.

Supporting research

"The Learning Professional" by Learning Forward
This journal provides research-based articles on effective professional development practices, with a focus on teacher engagement and sustained learning.
https://learningforward.org/the-learning-professional/

"Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning" by John Hattie
Hattie's work focuses on the research behind what strategies most impact student learning, with a chapter dedicated to the role of effective professional development.
https://visible-learning.org/

"Andragogy in Action: Applying Modern Principles of Adult Learning" by Malcolm Knowles
This foundational text outlines adult learning theory, which is critical to designing effective professional development.
https://www.amazon.com/Andragogy-Action-Principles-Education-Training/dp/0787901940

"Professional Development That Works: What Makes Professional Development Effective?" by Thomas R. Guskey
Guskey’s research focuses on effective PD practices that result in measurable improvements in teaching and learning.
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ793950

"Growth Mindset" by Carol Dweck
Dweck’s research on growth mindset has direct implications for both student and teacher development, emphasizing the importance of a mindset conducive to continuous learning.
https://www.mindsetworks.com/science/

"The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action" by Donald Schön
Schön's work on reflective practice underscores the value of self-reflection in professional development and teacher growth.
https://www.amazon.com/Reflective-Practitioner-Professionals-Think-Action/dp/0465068782

ISTE Standards for Educators
The ISTE Standards provide a framework for effective technology integration in professional development and classroom practice.
https://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards-for-educators