Effective professional development

Content focus

Activities with a specific content focus, such as those that simultaneously teach curricular content and explore pedagogical practices that enable students to learn that content, are conducive to effective professional development.

Active learning

Teachers engage in a process of inquiry into their own practices, reflect on their beliefs and experiences, and analyse and try out the new strategies they have learned. Ideally, teachers are able to connect what they learn to their everyday work with students in the classroom (e.g., evaluating their students’ work, analysing videos of their practice, observing and analysing their colleagues’ practices, coaching or mentoring, leading discussions with colleagues, writing articles).

Collective participation

PD activities that encourage collective participation by teachers of the same school, subject or year level are more likely to lead to changes in classroom teaching practices. These activities support the development of a shared framework of knowledge, which in turn enables improved understanding of a variety of teaching issues. Collective participation is more effective when provided with different forms of support such as mentoring, coaching and peer observation.

Duration

The general consensus is that a minimum of 20 hours should be spent on PD over the course of at least one semester. It is important to keep in mind that experimentation with and implementation of new classroom practices takes time, that time is valuable, and that teachers are entitled to it.

Coherence

It is crucial that teachers perceive PD as part of a coherent development programme that takes into account their personal framework (values, interests, knowledge, motivations, beliefs, experiences) and learning needs, the needs of their students and the school’s priorities.