Effects of Professional Development on Teachers’ Instruction: Results from a Three-year Longitudinal Study

Abstract

This article examines the effects of professional development on teachers’ instruction. Using a purposefully selected sample of about 207 teachers in 30 schools, in 10 districts in five states, we examine features of teachers’ professional development and its effects on changing teaching practice in mathematics and science from 1996–1999. We found that professional development focused on specific instructional practices increases teachers’ use of those practices in the classroom. Furthermore, we found that specific features, such as active learning opportunities, increase the effect of the professional development on teacher’s instruction.

Using Social Network Analysis to Study How Collegial Interactions Can Augment Teacher Learning from External Professional Development

“…By contrast, teachers who participated in professional development focused on instructional strategies not linked to specific content or who had limited exposure to professional development changed their practice very little. A number of subsequent studies, including nationally representative surveys of teachers and experimental evaluations of professional development, have found evidence of a link between content-focused professional development of an extended duration and changes to teachers' practice (e.g., Desimone et al 2002;Penuel and Gallagher 2009).…”

“…practice when it is sustained over time, focuses on enhancing the knowledge and skill needed to teach in specific content areas, employs active learning strategies in which teachers practice new pedagogical skills and receive feedback from others, and creates opportunities for collaborative learning from peers (Desimone et al 2002). Professional development with these characteristics can also support better curriculum implementation (Penuel et al 2007) and enhanced student learning Saxe et al 2001).…”

At the Elbows of Scientists: Shaping Science Teachers’ Conceptions and Enactment of Inquiry-Based Instruction

“…Researchers note the importance of PD in ensuring that teachers develop the appropriate skills, knowledge, and instructional strategies needed to help students achieve meaningful science experiences (Desimone et al 2002;Hewson 2007;Opfer and Pedder 2011). Capps et al (2012) confirmed the importance of designing inquiry-based science PD to support science teachers' enactment of classroom inquiry.…”

Invited Lectures from the 13th International Congress on Mathematical Education

“…For instance, regarding the issue of cram schools, Euna was very concerned about the interruptions made by students who attended cram schools but did not come up with specific solutions, whereas Miyeong identified the issue of cram schools as "bad habits in learning mathematics." This indicates that cooperation with colleagues, particularly with more experienced teachers, is important in developing mathematics teachers' expertise, as previous research has evidenced (Garet et al 2001;Desimone et al 2002).…”