Continuing Professional Development
Learning and development is critical if teachers and leaders are to adjust to rapid changes and movements of a modern world. Kydd et al. (2003) point out that the pace of social, economic and technological change is the reason why all of us must become lifelong learners and why professionals must engage in professional development. However, ensuring that training has a long term impact is not straightforward. In this section, I will discuss some of the issues related to CPD and then offer some solutions and alternatives to the traditional format of delivering training.
There is evidence to suggest that after teachers have been teaching for two or three years they begin to plateau in terms of their classroom performance (Allison, 2014). In order to improve practice, teachers need to improve their skills to become an expert. Allison’ssolution to this problem is to provide teachers with a range of CPD opportunities. However Ryan (2008) believes that schools have not yet taken professional learning seriously. He refers to research carried out by Ofsted which indicates that the main source of CPD in schools involves teachers attending courses, and many of these development opportunities are not meaningful or purposeful in relation to a school’s context. In addition, these courses are not cost effective and do not reach the intended outcomes. Timperley (2011) states that,
‘Professional development that focuses on new practices decontextualized from the immediate demands of the students within a teacher’s class is not likely to betranslated into that environment’ (pg. 12).
Ryan continues his argument by saying that schools generally do not provide enough time to support and embed new learning. As a result, knowledge and skills gained from attending a course fail to be established, applied or shared with other teachers. This means that the impact on children’s learning is minimal. Hattie’s (2008) study shows that the impact of CPD has a greater affect on teachers than the outcomes of students.
Another reason for this minimal impact could be explained by looking at how training is delivered. This has been traditionally done through generic courses which have been targeted towards school leaders and subject leaders. The leaders then have to share the information with their colleagues, who are expected to apply it to their practice. This method inhibits a school from becoming an autonomous organisation in terms of developing their learning community. Ryan defines these as ‘impoverished learning communities’. This is where teachers feel a sense of separation and powerlessness, resulting in resentment as teachers continuously work to someone else’s agenda (Ryan, 2008; Monk cited in Ellis, 2016).
Monk provides a further explanation to why this form of training may not reach its desired outcomes, by looking at what motivates people, which includes the components of autonomy and purpose. If teachers perceive their work as being imposed and meaningless, then this contradicts and works against both of these components. Teachers may make an initial attempt at trying something new that they have been asked to do but then they become too busy with the various demands of their role. It is extremely optimistic to think they will return to spend time trying to fit in something new that does not seem directly relevant (Timperley, 2011).
Timperley, Wilson, Barrar, and Fung (2007) looked at research which identified various themes around professional development that worked best. These themes included having external experts, engaging the teachers in the learning process, challenging teachers’thinking and perceptions about teaching, teachers talking to each other about teaching and, support from leadership to provide learning opportunities, as well as time and money to enable these opportunities to take place effectively. There is a significant difference here when compared to the traditional method outlined early. Teachers need to be part of the development and leaders need to sufficiently support teachers with the whole process. Robinson, Hohepa and Lloyd’s (2009) research goes further, by identifying the most significant leadership practice linked to student outcomes, ‘promoting and participating in teacher learning and development’. The impact was twice as high as the next influential leadership practice, ‘planning, coordinating and evaluating teaching and the curriculum’.Robinson and her collegues’ study found that the reason why leaders who promote and participate in CPD are so effective is because they have a deeper understanding of teaching and learning. They make it a priority to support teachers with such things as resources and time, to enable them to embed learning into their everyday practice. They do this because by participating in the CPD themselves, they understand the challenges teachers face and have a greater awareness of the pressures involved with the change process.
Ryan continues his argument by saying that schools generally do not provide enough time to support and embed new learning. As a result, knowledge and skills gained from attending a course fail to be established, applied or shared with other teachers. This means that the impact on children’s learning is minimal. Hattie’s (2008) study shows that the impact of CPD has a greater affect on teachers than the outcomes of students.
Another reason for this minimal impact could be explained by looking at how training is delivered. This has been traditionally done through generic courses which have been targeted towards school leaders and subject leaders. The leaders then have to share the information with their colleagues, who are expected to apply it to their practice. This method inhibits a school from becoming an autonomous organisation in terms of developing their learning community. Ryan defines these as ‘impoverished learning communities’. This is where teachers feel a sense of separation and powerlessness, resulting in resentment as teachers continuously work to someone else’s agenda (Ryan, 2008; Monk cited in Ellis, 2016).
Monk provides a further explanation to why this form of training may not reach its desired outcomes, by looking at what motivates people, which includes the components of autonomy and purpose. If teachers perceive their work as being imposed and meaningless, then this contradicts and works against both of these components. Teachers may make an initial attempt at trying something new that they have been asked to do but then they become too busy with the various demands of their role. It is extremely optimistic to think they will return to spend time trying to fit in something new that does not seem directly relevant (Timperley, 2011).
Timperley, Wilson, Barrar, and Fung (2007) looked at research which identified various themes around professional development that worked best. These themes included having external experts, engaging the teachers in the learning process, challenging teachers’thinking and perceptions about teaching, teachers talking to each other about teaching and, support from leadership to provide learning opportunities, as well as time and money to enable these opportunities to take place effectively. There is a significant difference here when compared to the traditional method outlined early. Teachers need to be part of the development and leaders need to sufficiently support teachers with the whole process. Robinson, Hohepa and Lloyd’s (2009) research goes further, by identifying the most significant leadership practice linked to student outcomes, ‘promoting and participating in teacher learning and development’. The impact was twice as high as the next influential leadership practice, ‘planning, coordinating and evaluating teaching and the curriculum’.Robinson and her collegues’ study found that the reason why leaders who promote and participate in CPD are so effective is because they have a deeper understanding of teaching and learning. They make it a priority to support teachers with such things as resources and time, to enable them to embed learning into their everyday practice. They do this because by participating in the CPD themselves, they understand the challenges teachers face and have a greater awareness of the pressures involved with the change process.
Timperley (2011) claims that schools and leaders need to develop a professional learning approach to make a transformative change to teaching practice. This means moving teachers from participating in CPD to teachers engaging with it. Timperley describes professional learning as:
‘...an internal process in which individuals need to create their own professional knowledge through interaction with this information in a way that challenges previous assumptions and creates new meanings’ (pg. 5).
Another term used to describe this approach to CPD is, professional learning communities. This is where collaboration and sharing exists and there is both informal and formal talk about pedagogy. Authentic development takes place through professional dialogue, practice, feedback and reflection (Hargreaves and Fullan, 2012). An institution that values these genuinely believes in lifelong learning for all their staff. To do this successfully, you have to create the required time and remove all unnecessary activities that do notimpact on children’s learning (Ryan, 2008; Monk cited in Ellis, 2016).
‘...an internal process in which individuals need to create their own professional knowledge through interaction with this information in a way that challenges previous assumptions and creates new meanings’ (pg. 5).
Another term used to describe this approach to CPD is, professional learning communities. This is where collaboration and sharing exists and there is both informal and formal talk about pedagogy. Authentic development takes place through professional dialogue, practice, feedback and reflection (Hargreaves and Fullan, 2012). An institution that values these genuinely believes in lifelong learning for all their staff. To do this successfully, you have to create the required time and remove all unnecessary activities that do notimpact on children’s learning (Ryan, 2008; Monk cited in Ellis, 2016).
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