Teacher Professiona Learning and Development. Helen Timperley The University of Auckland New Zealand at FoU Utveckling Malmo 31 maj 2012.

1. Teacher Professional
Learning and
Development
Helen Timperley
The University of
Auckland
New Zealand

3. • Auckland
•Wellington
• Christchurch

4. New Zealand Teachers’
Greatest Challenge
• High average achievement
• A big gap between the middle / top and
the low achievers
– Stratified along socio-economic and ethnic
lines

5. A Question
to discuss with the
person next to you
What is your greatest challenge in relation to
outcomes for students (that you or your
school can do something about)?

6. Overview of research on
Professional Development
Extensive research project:
• Analysed 97 research studies on
professional development with improved
outcomes for student learning
• Mapped the characteristics of professional
development on a spread sheet
• Identified characteristics associated with
improved outcomes for student learning
• Tried it out in 300 schools

7. Professional Development
in literacy in New Zealand
– 300 schools
– On average 2-3 times expected rate of
progress on deeper features
– Lowest achieving 20%: 3-5 times expected
rate of progress
– Sustained improvement for at least three
years after the external support stopped

8. Many Non-Academic Examples
• Secondary schools:
– Managing student behaviour
– Helping students become independent
reflective learners
• Primary schools
– Inclusion of children with special needs
– Integrating immigrant students

9. A Disciplined Inquiry
approach: The
Evidence Base

10. What does NOT work
Two extremes:
• Teachers are treated as
professionals and left to construct
their own learning experiences
• Experts develop recipes for
teaching, shown how, then closely
monitored
Learning is more complex than either
of these alternatives

11. What does work?
Section 1
What is it that teachers
need to learn to make
a difference to their
students’ learning?

12. Principle 1: Focus on valued
student outcomes
Professional learning experiences that focus
on the links between
• particular teaching activities and
• the student outcomes desired
Have POSITIVE impacts on those outcomes

13. Which means that -
• Improving student outcomes must be the
reason teachers’ engage in professional
learning opportunities
• Success is determined by impact on
students
– not changed teacher skills
• Teachers must believe that their students
can learn faster and better
– And usually do so when this happens

14. Principle 2: Worthwhile
Content
The knowledge and skills developed
are those that have been established
as effective in achieving valued
student outcomes

15. Principle 3: Integration of
Knowledge and Skills
The integration of essential teacher
knowledge and skills promotes deep
teacher learning and effective changes in
practice

16. Which means that -
• Professional learning opportunities need to
deepen knowledge about
– The curriculum (and relevant discipline
content)
– How to teach it effectively
– How to assess students’ learning
• And to integrate theory and practice
– A ‘what to do tomorrow’ practical approach
does not work

17. Principle 4: Assessment for
Professional Inquiry
Information about what students need
to know and do is used to identify
what teachers need to know and do

18. Teacher inquiry and knowledge-building cycle
to promote valued student outcomes
What
knowledge
and skills do
our students
What knowledge
need?
and skills do we
as teachers have
and need?
What has
been the
impact of our
changed
actions? Deepen
professional
knowledge and
refine skills
Engage
students in new
learning
experiences

19. For you to complete and
discuss
Assessment for Professional
Inquiry
(see separate sheet)

20. Section 2
What are the conditions that promote
teacher learning in ways that impact
on student learning?

21. Principle 5: Many Opportunities
to Learn and Apply Information
Like students, teachers need many
opportunities to learn and apply new
information in a trusting and challenging
environment

22. Principle 6: Approaches are
Responsive to Learning
Processes
Different approaches
are needed depending on
whether new ideas are,
or are not, consistent with
teachers’ existing
beliefs

23. Principle 7: Opportunities to
process new learning with
others
Teachers working together and focused on
student outcomes can help them
integrate new
learning into
their practice

24. Principle 8: Knowledgeable
Expertise
External expertise is necessary to:
• Challenge existing beliefs about how to
teach
• Develop new knowledge and skills

25. Which means that -
• Experts need to be very knowledgeable in
the area;
• Need to know how to make the knowledge
relevant to the teachers
– In ways that integrate other principles
– And promote teachers as professionals rather
than technicians

26. Principle 9: Active Leadership
Leaders play a key role in promoting
professional learning of their teachers for
the benefit of their students

27. FIVE DIMENSIONS OF EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP
Derived from Quantitative Studies Linking Leadership with Student Outcomes
(Robinson, Hohepa and Lloyd, 2009)
1. Establishing Goals and
Expectations 0.42
2. Resourcing Strategically 0.31
3. Planning, Coordinating and
Evaluating Teaching and the
Curriculum
0.42
4. Promoting and Participating in
Teacher Learning and
Development
0.84
5. Ensuring an Orderly and
Supportive Environment 0.27
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
Effect Size

28. Task for you
in pairs / small groups
In relation to your challenge identified earlier,
design your own professional development
around the inquiry cycle
• How would you assess the students to obtain
a deep understanding about this issue?
• What do you need to learn in order to
address the student challenge?
• Who can help you?
• How will you know that you are making a
difference?

29. Principle 10: Maintaining
momentum
Through ongoing inquiry

30. Figure .3
Keeping it all Going through Ongoing Inquiry
Refocusing
New challenges
Students’ Professional Students’ Professional
needs inquiry needs inquiry
Checking Knowledge Checking Knowledge
outcomes Skills outcomes Skills
Student Student
opportunities opportunities