5 Critical Elements of Professional Learning in Schools
Not all professional development (PD) or workshops are created equal. As educators, we have all been subjected to boring, irrelevant, or ineffective PD. I know I have! Instead, let’s learn from the past and demand Professional Learning that aligns with research and evidence-based practices.
Path to High Achieving Schools
Evidence-based PD stands as a cornerstone in the pursuit of high-achieving schools, offering a systematic approach to improve teaching quality, student learning outcomes, and overall school performance. In an era marked by educational reform and evolving pedagogical approaches, the value of evidence-based PD cannot be overstated.
At its core, evidence-based PD is rooted in research and data, drawing upon empirical evidence to inform instructional practices, curriculum design, and school improvement initiatives. By leveraging research-backed strategies and methodologies, educators can make informed decisions that are more likely to yield positive results in the classroom.
Why, Why, Why
One of the primary advantages of evidence-based PD lies in its ability to address the diverse needs of students and teachers within a school community. By identifying effective teaching methods, intervention strategies, and assessment techniques supported by evidence, educators can tailor their professional development efforts to target specific areas of improvement. Whether it's enhancing literacy instruction, promoting student engagement, or implementing data-driven decision-making processes, evidence-based PD provides a roadmap for achieving measurable progress.
Moreover, evidence-based PD fosters a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration among educators. By engaging in ongoing professional learning grounded in research, teachers have the opportunity to refine their instructional practices, reflect on their teaching effectiveness, and share best practices with their peers. This collaborative approach not only enhances teacher efficacy but also strengthens the collective capacity of the school community to meet the diverse needs of all students.
Furthermore, evidence-based PD serves as a catalyst for innovation and growth within schools. By staying abreast of the latest research findings and educational trends, educators can experiment with new teaching strategies, technologies, and instructional models that have shown promise in improving student outcomes. This spirit of innovation not only keeps educators motivated and engaged but also ensures that schools remain adaptive and responsive to the evolving needs of 21st-century learners.
Here is what we know works for professional learning:
Ongoing and sustained professional development with follow up support has the largest positive effect on student achievement.
KOI Education combines partial and full day workshops with on-going coaching and technical assistance across multiple-years. We can further customize workshops by including our personalized learning modules and personalized Reflection Plan module to many of our workshops.
Professional Development Core Features: A Focus on Content, Active Learning, Coherence, Duration, and Collective Participation.
Our workshops and seminars provide coherent alignment with national research and practices. Our trainers are experts in leveraging active engagement in professional learning as the key to increasing educator skills and inspiring action. Our facilitated workshops, trainings, and seminars includes many of these critical learning elements:
Problem Solving, Discussion & Dialogue, Co-Construction of Knowledge, Identifying Evidence-Based Practices, Reflection, Practice with Feedback, Demonstrations, Metacognition, Coaching, Modeling, Data-Based Decision-Making
Schools that had been teaming for 5 or more years show the most achievement scores.
We train PBIS School Teams that include: administrators, general education and special education teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and counselors, classified staff, and parents
When teachers learned to analyze data the number of 8th graders failing two or more classes decreased from 20% to 6% and discipline referrals dropped.
Danna, S. (2004). Diving Into Data Analysis. Journal of Staff Development, 25 (3), 24-27.
Each of our PBIS books include a chapter on using data-based decision-making models to identify students for additional support and to progress monitor their growth. Download our Data Analysis Worksheet and Problem Solving Worksheet from our Tier 1 Resources.
Tying professional development spending to student outcomes and measures...demands painstaking but necessary work.
S. Sawchuk (2010). Full costs of professional development hidden. Education Week, 30 (11), 14-16.
Our services are outcome-based and provide measurable data for all schools.
Our PBIS Training Academy uses research-based fidelity assessments from PBISapps.org to monitor implementation integrity and outcomes.
Run away from #one-and-done training.
Just say no to #train-and-hope models.
Turn your back on old-fashioned #spray-and-pray
Expect More from KOI Education
We all know that evidence-based professional development plays a vital role in the quest for high-achieving schools by providing educators with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to enact meaningful change. By grounding our professional learning experiences in research and data, educators can make informed decisions, collaborate effectively, and drive continuous improvement across their school communities.