Developing a Professional Learning Program

What is a Professional Learning Plan?

A professional learning plan or PLP:

• establishes short- and long-term plans for professional leaning (PL) and the implementation of learning

• guide individuals, departments and schools in coordinating learning experiences designed to achieve outcomes for teachers and students

• is “a set of purposeful, planned actions and the support system necessary to achieve the identified goals. Effective [PL] programs are ongoing, coherent and linked to students achievement” (Killion, 2008, p.11)

• events, on the other hand, are occasional, episodic, disconnected incidents that are staged periodically throughout the year - they have little or no connection with one another and little chance of producing substantial change

• A PLP is not just about the number of hours of learning, but about the nature of the learning itself - furthermore, it needs to address state, school system, school, department and individual learning goals

National Policies Guiding Professional Learning

There are three important documents that guide the provision of professional learning across all Australian schools, namely:

• Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (The Standards)

• Australian Teacher Performance and Development Framework (The Framework)

• Australian Charter for the Professional Learning of Teachers and School Leaders (The Charter)

The Standards define the work of teachers and make explicit the elements of high quality, effective teaching in 21st Century schools, which result in improved educational outcomes for students. The Standards do this by providing a framework that makes clear the knowledge, practice and professional engagement required across teachers' careers. Teacher standards also inform the development of professional learning goals, provide a framework by which teachers can judge the success of their learning and assist self-reflection and self-assessment.

The Framework outlines the critical factors for creating a performance and development culture in schools In particular, it requires that teachers:

• know what is expected of them

• receive frequent, useful feedback on their teaching

• access high quality support to improve their practice

The Charter provides a resource for the planning, design and evaluation of professional learning against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and the Australian Professional Standard for Principals. It articulates the central importance of professional learning (PL) to teacher quality and student learning. It states that teachers and leaders should engage in a range of PL activities for different purposes and that PL will be most effective when it is:

• relevant

• collaborative

• future focused

• supports teachers to reflect on, question & consciously improve their practice (AITSL, n.d.).

These four factors need to be considered when designing, selecting, reflecting on or evaluating PL.

Developing a Professional Learning Plan for your School

When designing and developing a professional learning plan for your department or school you may wish to consider those questions from the following list which are relevant to your particular context:

• What is the particular context / background of your department or school?

• What is the vision, mission, strategic direction of School?

• If reviewing an existing PLP, what are the strengths and areas-for-improvement of the current plan?

• What are the aims, goals and objectives of the PLP?

• What will be the short / medium / long term goals for PL & the development of a PL culture?

• How does the PLP plan align with the Australian Charter, Framework & Standards?

• How will PL activities be identified that are:

  • Relevant

  • Collaborative

  • Future focused

  • Supports teachers to reflect on, question and consciously improve their practice?

• How will a learning needs analysis be conducted for individuals, departments and the school?

• How will a total learning plan be complied?

• Is there a career development plan in place?

• What direction and support will leadership provide?

• What resources in terms of people will be made available?

• Who will lead / drive the PLP?

• What resources in terms of funding will be made available?

• What resources in terms of time will be made available?

• How will the PLP be communicated to all members of the school?

• How will the PLP be evaluated & reviewed at a systems level?

• How will feedback, evidence & data be collected, analysed & utilised?

• What will be the indicators & measures of success?

• How will the impact of PL on student achievement, engagement and wellbeing be evaluated?

• How will changes in teacher and leader practice that lead to improvement in student outcomes be measured?

• How will sophisticated, robust, multi-method ways be used to evaluate PL?

• How will the utilisation of PL places / activities be tracked?

References:

• AITSL. (2011). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Melbourne: Author.

• AITSL. (2012). Australian Teacher Performance and Development Framework. Melbourne: Author.

• AITSL. (2012). Australian Charter for the Professional Learning of Teachers and School Leaders. Melbourne: Author.