What Can Districts and Schools Do to Make Professional Development Work? Andy Porter Vanderbilt University June, 2004

2 Study Design District and IHE Interviews –363 district coordinators (88%); 92 IHE coordinators (87%) Teacher Activity Survey –teachers’ professional development experiences –1025 teachers (72%), representing 657 activities in 358 districts and IHEs Case Studies –10 in-depth in 5 states; 6 exploratory Longitudinal Study of Teacher Change –teacher classroom practice –30 schools, 10 districts, 5 states

3 Study Timeline FallSummerSpringWinterSummerSpringWinterFallSpringSummerFallWinter Interviews Wave 2 Survey 1 Wave 1 Wave3 1st Report Exploratory Cases Survey 2 3rd Report Mostly Impact on Teachers 2nd Report Mostly National Description District and IHE Interviews Case Studies Teacher Activity Survey Longitudinal Study of Teacher Change Reports Exploratory CasesIn-depth Cases

4 This Presentation Characteristics of Effective Professional Development (PD) Effects of Professional Development on Changes in Teaching Practice District Management and Implementation Strategies Related to Effective Professional Development

5 Characteristics of Effective PD Identify key features of professional development examine the relationship between features of professional development and teacher outcomes

6 Teachers’ PD Experiences Enhanced knowledge and skills, and change in practice are the expected outcomes of teachers’ PD experiences What features might be related to these outcomes? –Sponsorship District vs. IHE –Structural Features Type: traditional vs. reform Duration: amount (hours) and time span Collective participation –Core Features Focus on content knowledge Active learning: discussing classroom implementation, being observed, sharing knowledge, evaluating student work Coherence: continuity of learning, alignment, building professional community

7 Teachers are More Likely to Participate in Traditional than Reform Types of PD Activity Types District IHE/NPO Percent of Teachers In-district workshop or institute College course Out-of-district workshop or institute Out-of-district conference Study group Teacher network MentoringCommittee or task force Resource center OtherInternship Traditional Reform

8 Compared to Districts, IHE Activities are Longer Hours

9 Emphasize Content Knowledge More, District IHE/NPO Activity Type Percent of teachers reporting major emphasis on content knowledge Reform Traditional

10 Offer More Opportunities for Active Learning Practiced in simulated conditions Received coaching Leader observed teaching Others observed teaching Communicated with leader Students' work reviewed Held formal meetings Held informal meetings Developed lesson plans Types of Opportunities for Active Learning Percent of Teachers District IHE/NPO

11 and Are More Coherent with Teachers’ Goals and Other Activities

12 But District Activities Are More Likely To Be School-Based

13 PD and Teacher Outcomes SponsorshipStructureQualityOutcomes Controls Schools % Poverty School % Minority Teacher’s Gender Subject (Math & Science) Grade Level (El, Middle, High) In-field Certification Teaching Experience Sponsor (IHE vs District) Time Span Contact Hours Coherence Active Learning Type (Traditional vs Reform) Change in Teaching Practice Collective Participation Enhanced Knowledge & Skill Focus on Content Knowledge

14 Summary from National Data: 6 Features of Quality Make PD More Effective Six Features of the Quality of Professional Development Predict Self-reported Change in Teachers Knowledge, Skills, and Teaching Practice Structural FeaturesCore Features reform type (vs. tradition)focus on content knowledge durationactive learning collective participationcoherence

15 Structural Features Core Features Teacher Change Teacher knowledge and skills are enhanced by professional development that emphasizes content, provides opportunities for active learning, and is coherent with teaching goals, standards and assessments, and professional community. Longer, reform type, and school-based professional development activities are associated with content emphasis, active learning, and coherence.

16 Longitudinal Study of Teacher Change Do teachers’ experiences in professional development activities contribute to changes in teaching practice?

17 Longitudinal Study of Teacher Change 30 schools, 10 districts, in 5 states 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high school in each district Schools were selected based on: participation in Eisenhower-assisted activities over the year diverse approaches to professional development All mathematics and science teachers surveyed in each school

18 Sample for the Longitudinal Study of Teacher Change  17 of the sample schools, or 57%, are high-poverty, compared to the national average of 25%  287 teachers responded to all three waves of the survey  Among responding teachers: 74% are female and 18% are minority 12% of mathematics and 18% of science teachers are novices

19 Overview of Longitudinal Teacher Survey The longitudinal survey provides...  three years of data on teaching practices ( , , and ) content covered specific teaching strategies for higher-order learning  two years of data on participation in professional development activities ( and ) specific teaching strategies for higher-order learning six quality features

20 Effects of Participation in PD on Teaching Practices: Approach  We measured: âbaseline teaching practice in âcharacteristics of a professional development activity teachers participated in during âteaching practice again in  We looked at effects on: âspecific teaching practices

21 Effects of Participation in PD Focused on Specific Teaching Strategies for Higher- order Learning  We asked teachers about: âFrequency of use of specific teaching strategies in mathematics and science instruction âWhether the professional development activity focused on using the strategies  We examined the effects of professional development in three areas related to higher-order learning: âUse of technology âInstructional methods âStudent assessment

22 Technology Use for Higher-order Learning  Calculators or computers to develop models or simulations  Computers to write reports  Calculators or computers for data collection and analysis  Computers to access the Internet

23 Instructional Methods for Higher-order Learning  Work on independent, long-term (at least one week) projects  Work on problems for which there is no immediately obvious method or solution  Develop technical or mathematical writing skills, including using equations, graphs, tables, and text together  Work on interdisciplinary lessons (e.g., writing journals in class)  Debate ideas or otherwise explain their reasoning

24 Student Assessment for Higher-order Learning  Essay tests  Performance tasks or events  Systematic observation of students  Math/science reports  Math/science projects  Portfolios

25 Independent Variables  For each of the teaching strategies, we modeled the effects of three variables describing the professional development teachers received: âWhether the professional development focused on the strategy (relative focus); âWhether the professional development activity also focused on closely related topics (mean focus); and âThe quality features of the professional development experience.

26 Effects on the Use of Calculators and Computers to Develop Models of Professional Development Focused on Specific Technology-Use Strategies, and Active Learning

27 Effects on the Use of Calculators and Computers to Develop Models of PD Focused on Specific Technology-Use Strategies and Collective Participation

28 Effects of Professional Development on Teaching Practice Well Designed Professional Development is Effective  Professional development activities that focus on a specific, higher-order teaching strategy increase teachers’ use of this strategy in the classroom.  Features of high quality—reform type, collective participation, active learning, and coherence—increase the impact of professional development activities that focus on specific higher-order teaching strategies.

29 District Management and Implementation of PD identify key features of district management and implementation of professional development examine the relationship between district management and implementation and the quality of professional development

30 What Shapes District-sponsored Professional Development? Building a vision for professional development: –Alignment with standards and assessments –Coordination with other programs: working together and co-funding Implementation: –Continuous improvement: indicators, needs assessments, evaluation, and guidance to schools and providers –Teacher participation in planning

31 Building a VisionImplementationPortfolio Features Effects of Management and Implementation on PD Quality Continuous Improvement Alignment Targeting Participation in “Reform” Types Activities Coordination (Co-funding) Opportunities for Active Learning Teacher Participation in Planning Opportunities for Collective Participation Average Duration Controls District Poverty District Size Cluster Status Consortium Status

32 Summary from National District Data: Building a Vision and Implementing It Alignment with standards and assessments and co-funding with other programs are associated with reform types of professional development, portfolios of higher quality activities, and greater targeting. Continuous improvement is important for translating a vision into practice, but districts may have insufficient capacity. Teacher planning is linked to more opportunities for active learning and more targeting of teachers of special needs students.

33 Implications from our National Data for Improving PD Encourage content focus, duration, opportunities for active learning, coherence, and school-based professional development. Continue to emphasize alignment with standards and assessments, and co-funding with activities funded by other programs. Build district capacity to foster continuous improvement.

34 Summary  Large-scale change in teaching practice would require districts and schools to specify the areas of teaching in which change is desired.  Then, districts and schools would need to plan and provide professional development activities that focus on these areas, that are aligned with other reforms, and that have the 6 characteristics of effective professional development: longer, reform type, school-based activities that focus on content, provide opportunities for active learning and are coherent with teachers’ goals, standards and assessments and professional community.

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36 Conclusions  We know what makes professional development work, and it is expensive, so it can’t be used for all teachers.  But, superintendents and principals want to reach all of their teachers, and this creates a dilemma.  There are two options: (1) provide more money for professional development or (2) develop a targeting strategy.

37 Citations Porter, A.C., Garet, M.S., Desimone, L.M., & Birman, B.F. (2003, Spring). Providing effective professional development: Lessons from the Eisenhower Program. Science Educator 12(1), Garet, M.S., Porter, A.C., Desimone, L., Birman, B.F., & Yoon, K.S. (2001, Winter). What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers. American Educational Research Journal 38(4), Desimone, L., Porter, A.C., Garet, M., Suk Yoon, K., & Birman, B. (2002, Summer). Effects of professional development on teachers’ instruction: Results from a three-year longitudinal study. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis 24(2), Desimone, L., Porter, A.C., Birman, B.F., Garet, M.S., & Suk Yoon, K. (2002, October). How do district management and implementation strategies relate to the quality of the professional development that districts provide to teachers? Teachers College Record 104(7), Desimone, L., Garet, M., Birman, B., Porter, A., & Suk Yoon, K. (in press). Improving teachers’ in-service professional development in mathematics and science: The role of postsecondary education. Education Policy. Birman, B., Desimone, L., Porter, A.C., & Garet, M. (2002). Designing professional development that works. Educational Leadership 57(8), Birman, B.F., & Porter, A.C. (2002). Evaluating the effectiveness of education funding streams. Peabody Journal of Education 77(4),