Metasynthesis of in-service professional development research: Features associated with positive educator and student outcomes

Abstract

Findings from a metasynthesis of 15 research reviews of in service professional development to improve or change teacher content knowledge and practice and student/child knowledge and behavior are described. The research reviews included 550 studies of more than 50,000 early intervention, preschool, elementary, and secondary education teachers, educators, and practitioners. The goal of metasynthesis is to identify the common and core features of in service professional development associated with changes and improvements in educator and student outcomes. In-service professional development experts' contentions about the key characteristics and core features of effective in-service training were used to code and analyze the research reviews. Results showed that in-service professional development was most effective when it included trainer introduction, demonstration, and explanation of the benefits of mastering content knowledge or practice, active and authentic teacher learning experiences, opportunities for teachers to reflect on their learning experiences, coach or mentor supports and feedback during the in-service training, extended follow-up supports to reinforce in-service learning, and in-service training and follow-up supports of sufficient duration and intensity to have discernible teacher and student effects. Implications for improving in-service professional development are described.Key words: Metasynthesis, case studies, in-service professional development core features, teacher change, student change. INTRODUCTIONIn-service professional development and continuing education are considered essential for educators to become proficient and sustain expertise in their teaching professions (Donovan and others 1999;Guskey 2002;Guskey 2014 (Akiba et al., 2007;Lewis et al., 1999). At least one reason for teachers' judgments of their lack of preparedness is the type of continuing professional development either offered or procured as part of in-service training opportunities.As part of a status report on teacher development, Darling-Hammond et al. (2009) found that attendance at one-time workshops, conferences, or training sessions are the primary types of in-service professional development for nearly all teachers and that other types of in-service training considered more effective are experienced much less often. Similar findings were reported by Lewis et al. (1999) as part of their analyses of the in-service experiences associated with teacher preparedness and quality. Darling-Hammond et al. (2009) concluded their review of teacher professional development by stating, "We found that well-designed professional development is still relatively rare, and few of the nation's teachers have access to regular opportunities for intensive learning" (p. 19).The purpose of the metasynthesis described in this paper was to ascertain the extent to which studies of inservice professional development that included key characteristics and core features of in-service training considered effective by professional development...

Interest-based everyday child language learning

“…The particular approach to coaching used by the practitioners included the methods and procedures for (1) introducing and illustrating the practices to the parents, (2) engaging the parents in the use of the practices and their self-evaluation of their experiences, (3) the procedures used by the practitioners to facilitate parents' reflection on and understanding of the key characteristics of the practices, and (4) the procedures used to sustain parents' use of the interest-based language learning practices. This set of strategies was used by the practitioners as an evidence-based implementation practice to promote parents' adoption and use of the intervention practices with their children (Dunst, Bruder, & Hamby, 2015; .…”

Does Capacity-Building Professional Development Engender Practitioners’ Use of Capacity-Building Family-Centered Practices?

“…Capacity-building professional development is defined as the experiences and opportunities used by professional development specialists to engage learners (e.g., early childhood intervention practitioners) in activities to improve their knowledge, skills, and intervention practices (Desimone, 2009;Guskey, 2002). Evidence-based professional development is defined as practices informed by research findings demonstrating an empirical relationship between particular types of adult learning and professional development practices and learner outcomes (Dunst, Bruder, & Hamby, 2015;Dunst, Trivette, & Hamby, 2010). Findings from a meta-analysis of adult learning studies, for example, indicated that coaching over extended periods of time "stood out" as an especially important element of evidence-based professional development .…”

Scoping Review of the Core Elements of Technical Assistance Models and Frameworks

“…These included explicit efforts to establish the credibility of the TA provider and the proposed approach to TA; the use of some type of professional development or training to promote staff abilities to use targeted practices; the use of coaching or mentoring by the TA provider as part of professional development; TA provider consultation in response to staff requests for assistance and guidance; and TA provider supports and performance feedback in response to progress toward using targeted intervention practices. Although nearly all TA model and framework developers noted the importance of TA provider professional development, there was very little consensus in terms of the types of professional development that should be used, and not a single model or framework included a description of or reference to evidence-based adult learning or professional development (Dunst, Bruder, & Hamby, 2015;Dunst, Trivette, & Hamby, 2010) as important for capacity-building purposes.…”