Changing the Culture of CPD Through Action Research and Peer Coaching John Webber & Sam Alvarez Sussex Downs College, Feb 2010

What is the question? Can we, through these projects: Encourage the development of evidence-based approaches to teaching and learning? Meet the wide variety of emerging Professional Learning and Development needs effectively? Stimulate ongoing innovation and sharing of good practice? Be better able to evaluate impact? Shift peoples expectations of, and approach to, CPD? Develop a learning and action research culture throughout the college?

The pilot project (Spring 09) Action Research, Peer Coaching and Formative Assessment / AfL Three key elements: Action Research & Reflective Practice Peer Coaching Formative Assessment / AfL

Why action research?

CPD as training Difficulties with this include: Providing a timely response to needs Meeting the range of needs from a core team Limited stimulation of innovation and sharing good practice The lack of follow-through from training to changes in practice The lack of evaluation of impact (commonly only the training itself is evaluated) Learning activity (Training, observing others etc.) Intended Outcome (Need or aspiration) Links?

Intended Outcome (Need or aspiration) Input (e.g. Training, observing others et) The cycle of minimal impact?

BEGIN HERE Intended Outcome (Need or aspiration) An Action Research approach to Innovation and CPD:

BEGIN HERE Intended Outcome (Need or aspiration) Explore options (with peer or mentor) Select an approach to try Learning activity (e.g. Training, observing others etc.) Plan / adapt (with peer or mentor) Trial Do Response, Outcome, Feedback Reflect & Evaluate (with peer or mentor) Compare An Action Research approach to Innovation and CPD:

Why peer coaching?

Why Peer Coaching? Remember these difficulties? Difficulty of timely response Development team has limited capacity to meet the range of needs The lack of follow-through from training to changes in practice The lack of evaluation of impact (commonly only the training itself is evaluated) Learning activity (Training, observing others etc.) Intended Outcome (Need or aspiration) Links?

The benefits of peer coaching Joyce and Showers comparison of different schools responses to same intensive training 30 hours intensive CPD for each school in district at start of year Only schools where reflective dialogue was part of the culture sustained any significant change Minimal cost and time commitment for significant impact Joyce and Showers (2002, 3 rd edn.) Student Achievement Through Staff Development

What we mean by peer coaching Commitment to work with a colleague Mutually supportive Taking turns to actively listen while the other.. Articulates their aims Identifies possibilities Decides on an action / plans Reflects on what happened Considers what to do next

Peer coaching - what participants said: Whereas you might otherwise have only tried something a couple of times, and it become an isolated sort of activity, with the peer coaching it can become much more of an ongoing dialogue with students, with staff, with other departments. - English Lang/Lit team

Peer coaching - what participants said: The most positive outcomes came from evaluating our own practice and sharing our experiences with each other in feedback sessions. We fully intend to continue this collaborative working and have plans to create a full series of keyword games over the summer which will be available to all the staff in the team. - Carpentry team

Peer coaching - what participants said: I found it [peer coaching] really useful to help me find my own solutions to a problem. The formality of it meant that I did follow it up and actually reflect on it. It was a very positive experience and one that I would like to develop more. - MFL team

Why formative assessment?

Evidence-based practice Many studies have shown the importance of formative assessment and engaging students in dialogues and reflection about learning E.G. TLRP (Teaching and Learning Research Programme) E.G. John Hatties synthesis of 800 meta-analyses: Which highlighted feedback and formative evaluation of students learning as the two teaching strategies with the greatest positive impact on learning

Link to Sam Alvarezs slides

A changing culture of CPD? From: To: Learning activity (Training, observing others etc.)

BEGIN HERE Intended Outcome (Need or aspiration) Explore options (with peer or mentor) Select an approach to try Learning activity (e.g. Training, observing others etc.) Plan / adapt (with peer or mentor) Trial Do Response, Outcome, Feedback Reflect & Evaluate (with peer or mentor) Compare Collaborative action research:

A Changing Culture of CPD? This approach has the support of: The IfL: who see this as well aligned to their vision of CPD CUREE: the Centre for Research Evidence in Education who are working with us LSIS: who are funding several projects

Some examples of current projects: Each of the following are benefitting from the addition of AR and peer coaching techniques: Developing students skills in peer and self assessment Making peer observation really work as a tool for sharing good practice Exploring new approaches to using digital media for learning Developing & evaluating the use of Social Networks for learning

What is the question? Can we, through these projects: Encourage the development of evidence-based approaches to teaching? Meet the wide variety of emerging Professional Learning and Development needs effectively? Stimulate ongoing innovation and sharing of good practice? Be better able to evaluate impact? Shift peoples expectations of, and approach to, CPD? Develop a learning and action research culture throughout the college?

What might the answer look like? Set within the messy reality of current FE

Open to questions and discussion s: