How patterns of teacher engagement in professional development relate to professional contexts and district policies. For teachers who participate in the professional development offered by the PES, it is unclear whether it makes any sense. Another concern is uncertainty about the impact of MNPS professional development on student learning.
The project was initiated to gain deeper insight into professional development at district level, which MNPS offers. How are patterns of teacher engagement in professional development related to professional contexts and district policies. To what extent were intrinsic and extrinsic motivations related to teachers' commitment to professional development at the district level.
We examined the antecedents of teachers' involvement in district-level professional development by first analyzing their professional context, including the teachers. Source: MNPS Professional Development Utilization, not teacher survey The differences in resources between the. Source: MNPS Professional development utilization, not teacher survey We noted that the differences are in the resources.
Source: MNPS Professional Development Utilization, not teacher survey These results indicate that the hours of
MNPS?
Teachers saw professional development as a responsibility and
In the survey, 94.6% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed that seeking professional development opportunities is a. This finding, accounting for social desirability, suggests that perhaps not everyone in MNPS school buildings views professional development as a professional responsibility. When asked about their motivations for seeking professional development opportunities during focus groups, teachers talked about wanting to fill gaps in their knowledge, respond to changes in expectations, and help students succeed on tests.
MNPS professional development was under-utilized
It was unclear which
Regression analysis with this index variable and hours of professional development yielded a statistically significant result, but with a small and negative regression coefficient, which is the opposite of what was expected. However, a quote from a high school science teacher is more in line with what we expected: “In my professional opinion, taking those days off is the hardest thing you can do.
Faculty culture was related to teachers’ engagement in MNPS
There were interesting distinctions by teacher characteristics
Overall, teachers saw MNPS professional development as
There were interesting distinctions by teacher characteristics
In general, teachers believe that MNPS professional development
Approximately 61% of teachers surveyed indicated that they agreed or strongly agreed that their participation in district-level professional development has improved their classroom practice. More experienced teachers showed a more critical view, often saying that they had to actively look for something and perhaps just take a 'single nugget'. An experienced high school teacher put it this way: “You take what you can, and you just let the rest go because you have to.” Novice teachers may have a different opinion due to their lack of experience and the greater opportunity to interact with new ideas and strategies. Teachers also spoke about the difference between mandatory professional development sessions and those they can choose, preferring the latter.
Teachers saw MNPS professional development as having
Teachers saw duration of sessions offered by MNPS as being
We want input on the duration, content of MNPS PD sessions, and we want the opportunity to have coaching and feedback built into the structure of MNPS PD.” Understanding professional development in an adult context. A common mantra in our focus groups was to refer to what we called "Rock Star Presenters." It was the facilitators who could do all the things that we have talked about as high quality professional development. It's a big effort.” If teachers see it as prohibitively difficult to miss a day of school, they will not pursue professional development at the district level of their own volition.
Given the findings in this research project, as well as the literature that formed the basis of our conceptual framework, it is our recommendation that MNPS follow the following suggestions to meet their goals of providing professional development. Combine high-quality, district-level professional development sessions with effective on-the-job-embedded learning training that is purposefully linked to promote lasting retention. Intentionally seek the opinions of teachers who do not engage in MNPS professional development.
Consider a variety of professional development models and methods to respond to teacher and student data. A new two-year study into the professional development of math teachers shows no statistically significant impact on teacher knowledge or student achievement. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from https://www.air.org/news/press-release/new-two-year-study-professional-development-math-teachers-finds-no-statistically Borko, H.
With permission from the Office of Research, Assessment and Evaluation, your school has been selected to participate in a research study of professional development at MNPS. Although participation is voluntary, it will ensure that the voices of MNPS teachers are heard so that we can improve our professional development experiences for teachers. Professional development refers to a variety of activities designed to improve your professional knowledge and skills, including workshops, seminars, institutes, higher education courses, coaching, mentoring, teacher networks, observing and receiving feedback on your teaching, and committee work.
However, this study focuses exclusively on professional development offerings from MNPS, which can be found in the Professional Development Catalog published each semester by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. How do you decide if/when to attend professional development sessions outside of your school building? In what ways, if any, did the professional development presentations you attended change your teaching practice.
