Teacher Learning
Why the need for ongoing, professional learning?
Teaching is a dynamic profession and, as new knowledge about teaching and learning emerges, new types of expertise are required by educators.
Only the teachers who are continual learners that work to improve their practice, skills, and instructional strategies can successfully help others learn.
Professional learning and development allows you to build and refresh your skills and to participate actively in your career development. It strengthens your knowledge base and supports your commitment to effective teaching and learning.
Also, there is a strong link between the professional qualities of individual teachers and the learning outcomes of students. Teachers are central to the quality of students' opportunities to learn in schools. Therefore, high standards of teaching and teacher professionalism are in the best interests of students, of public education and of the teaching profession.
“There is no single variable that improves student achievement more than the introduction of a great teacher. Teacher quality and teaching quality go hand in hand” (Churchill, et al. 2013, p.5).
If schools, states and nations wish to develop and maintain a quality teaching force then there is a need for the provision of ongoing teacher professional development and learning.
Indeed, a marked characteristic of high-performing education systems is an ongoing investment in the professional development of teachers.
Teachers need to be continuous learners who see their own learning as being fundamental to membership of the profession rather than something that is incidental or optional.
Professional development cf. professional learning
Although the two terms are often used interchangeably, a distinction between professional development and professional learning is made in the literature. It has been established that teachers need to be ongoing, intelligent learners and that they learn best from their own classroom experience (Darling-Hammond, Wei, Andree, Richardson & Orphanos, 2009; McLaughlin, Black-Hawkins & McIntyre, 2008). Consequently, professional learning has moved from a training focus to that of a learner focus (Day, 1999).
Professional development is viewed as a more passive process whereby “information and ideas [are] determined by 'experts' and transmitted via lectures and workshops” while professional learning is “a more reflexive, active process in which teachers … [are] engaged in collaboration, self-determination of learning goals and local knowledge creation” (Groundwater-Smith and Mockler, 2009, p.56).
Professional learning and development activities
“Teacher learning includes not only activities such as conferences and workshops, but also includes participation in many formal and informal learning activities” (Meiers & Buckley, 2009, p.1).
More formal or structured PL & D activities include:
courses and workshops
educational conferences or seminars
qualification programs
observation visits to other schools
participation in a network of teachers
individual or collaborative research
mentoring and/or peer observation and coaching
Less formal PD activities include:
reading professional literature
engaging in informal dialogue with peers on how to improve teaching
A definition of teacher professional learning
Professional learning (PL) is commonly defined as:
‘activities to develop an individual’s skills, knowledge and expertise and other characteristics as a teacher’
‘the sum total of formal and informal learning experiences throughout one’s career from pre-service teacher education to retirement’.
While correctly describing PL as consisting of ‘activities’ and ‘learning experiences’ these definitions avoid reference to the purpose of professional learning and the context in which teachers work. The following perhaps offers a more comprehensive yet succinct definition of teacher professional learning:
“Professional learning is the formal and informal learning experiences undertaken by teachers and school leaders that improve their individual professional practice and the school’s collective effectiveness as measured by improved student engagement and learning outcomes” (Cole, 2012, p.4). The above definition:
Sets the expectation that PL will produce changes in practice and ultimately in student learning outcomes.
Acknowledges the diversity of formal and informal PL opportunities and activities available to teachers.
Positions PL as being concerned with not only the learning of the individual teacher but of the whole school.
Acknowledges that the ultimate purpose for PL is to improve all students’ learning outcomes.
Theories of professional learning
Professional learning theories “are concerned with the social learning of a variety of forms of knowledge and practice among specific groups in specific contexts that might not be formal education” (Philpott, 2014, p.2). These theories provide a more detailed / insightful view of how learning takes place. Some of these theories are based on empirical evidence while others are based on the elaboration or synthesis of other theories.
Each of these theories tend to provide a “description” rather than a “prescription” for designing PL experiences and contexts. For example, “communities of practice” are seen as naturally developing phenomenon rather than something that can be deliberately manufactured.
Theories of professional learning include:
Experiential Learning & the Reflective Practitioner
Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)
Professional Knowledge & Competence
Communities of Practice
Cultural Historical Activity Theory
Clinical Practice Models
Craft Knowledge & Apprenticeship Models (Philpott, 2014)
Basic principles for designing professional learning and development
Professional learning and development should:
be intensive, ongoing, and connected to practice
focus on student learning and address the teaching of specific curriculum content
align with school improvement priorities and goals
build strong relationships among teachers (Darling-Hammond et al., 2009)