1. Professional Learning Communities: Improving Student Learning through Best Practices Derrick Cameron, Ed.D. Candidate University of Calgary

2. “The most promising strategy for sustained, substantive school improvement is developing the ability of school personnel to function as professional learning communities.” DuFour, DuFour & Eaker, 1998

4. What we know! Professional Learning Communities is a commitment from educators that they will work together collaboratively to ensure high levels of learning for ALL students.

5. If, we believe all students can learn at high levels, given time and appropriate supports, then… What do we want each student to learn? How will we know when each student has learned it? How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning? What do we do when a student already knows the content? DuFour, 2004

6. Student Learning What do we want each student to learn? How will we know when each student has learned it? How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning? What do we do when a student already knows the content?

7. Student Learning What do we want each student to learn? How will we know when each student has learned it? How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning? What do we do when a student already knows the content?

8. Backwards by Design Can follow a very prescriptive four step process: 1.Identify Priority Outcomes/Indicators Priority Outcomes/Indicators: Leverage – Endurance – Readiness for next level of learning

9. Two outcomes: one a priority outcome and one a supporting outcome Grade 6 ELA Outcomes View, respond, and demonstrate comprehension of visual and multimedia grade-appropriate texts including traditional and contemporary texts from First Nations, Métis, and other cultures containing special features. Select and use appropriate strategies to construct meaning before, during, and after viewing, listening, and reading.

10. Doug Reeves argues “we are better to ensure our students are proficient in 80% of the curriculum as opposed to covering 100% of the curriculum and having no idea what students are proficient in.”

11. 2.“Unwrap” or “unpack” concepts, skills and then identify levels of thinking skill rigor as it relates to Bloom’s Taxonomy or Webb’s Depth of Knowledge.

13. 3.Determine Big Ideas based on the “unwrapped” priority outcomes/standards. If students ask you why they have to learn something, how will you respond? That is the Big Idea.

14. 4.Write the Essential Questions, which are the questions which will help students discover the “Big Ideas”.

15. Examples of Big Ideas and corresponding Essential Questions BI: Literary devices enhance and deepen fiction’s impact upon the reader. EQ: What are literary devices? Why do authors use them?

16. By using this four step process, teachers ensure clear and targeted instruction and assessments. This process ensures “teacher clarity” which Hattie (2009) concluded has an effect size d = 0.75 on student learning. Teacher Clarity d = 0.75

17. Student Learning What do we want each student to learn? How will we know when each student has learned it? How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning? What do we do when a student already knows the content?

18. Student evidence, as it relates to “unwrapped” outcomes, is how educators make an informed professional inference about whether students have learned new ideas/concepts or not. However, that evidence MUST come from more than one source. Davies, 2007

19. The achievement gains associated with formative assessment have been described as "among the largest ever reported for educational interventions". While many teachers incorporate aspects of formative assessment into their teaching, it is much less common to find formative assessment practised systematically. OECD, 2005

20. The research indicates that improving learning through assessment depends on five, deceptively simple, key factors  the provision of effective feedback to pupils;  the active involvement of pupils in their own learning;  adjusting teaching to take account of the results of assessment;  a recognition of the profound influence assessment has on the motivation and self- esteem of pupils, both of which are crucial influences on learning;  the need for pupils to be able to assess themselves and understand how to improve. Black and Wiliam, 1998

21. Mastering effective feedback is the single most important teaching skill for improving student learning. Hattie, 2009

22. Effective feedback is NOT the same thing as praise! 80% of the feedback students receive is from their peers and the majority of that feedback is incorrect. Nuthall, 2005

23. Based on the work of Douglas Reeves and John Hattie

24. Type of feedback given Percent gain MarksNo gain Comments30% Comments and Marks No gain It was concluded, when implemented well, formative assessment can effectively double the speed of student learning. Wiliam, 2007

25. Providing Formative Evaluation d = 0.90 Hattie, 2009 Providing effective feedback to students is extremely important but more important is for teachers to use feedback from students to formatively assess the strategies they are using in the classroom.

26. Student Learning What do we want each student to learn? How will we know when each student has learned it? How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning? What do we do when a student already knows the content?

27. “Ultimately there are two kinds of schools: learning – enriched schools and learning – impoverished schools. I’ve yet to see as school where the learning curves of the youngsters are off the chart upward while the learning curves of the adults are off the the chart downward, or a school where the learning of the adults were steep upward and those of the students were not. Teachers and students go hand in hand as learners – or they don’t go at all.” Barth, 2001

28. If we embrace the PLC culture, then learning MUST be the constant and time the variable. Schools must change their thinking from intervention and begin thinking about acceleration.

29. Ways schools can respond when students don’t learn or already know the content. Collective responsibility by all staff for all students Access to high – quality instruction True differentiation in the classroom  Instruction; and  Assessment Analysis of student work to determine specific needs Systematic, explicit, and research based strategies taught by all educators Buffman, Mattos and Weber, 2009

30. Professional Learning Communities can have a tremendous impact on student learning when we take the time and help our colleagues connect all the different pieces. If we don’t do this, then…