Steps to highly effective next generation

Eight Steps to Highly Effective ‘Next Generation’
Professional Development for Learning and Technology
APPENDIX

‘Next Generation’ Professional Development Strategies
Effective technology use requires new curricular, instructional, and assessment designs;
learning about and incorporating these new designs into classroom practice will require
unique combinations of professional development strategies. Such combinations
constitute ‘next generation’ strategies, in which access, quality, and continuity of
professional development experiences are enriched and extended through technology
and digital age thinking.
The chart on the following pages includes:
A range of effective professional development strategies commonly used in K-12
schools
‘Next generation’ professional development that results from intelligently combining
these strategies with 21st century technologies
The potential of each ‘next generation’ strategy for preparing educators to advance
student learning through technology.
Combined with 21st century thinking and contemporary technologies, this range of
strategies for professional development can be used to enhance the growth of teachers
and administrators in all aspects of teaching and learning.

Indiana Department of Education



Fall 2001


THE
STRATEGY:

A Description
What are the key components
of this strategy?
Who has a role to play?

Transforming the Strategy into
‘Next Generation’
How can technology be used to support and
enhance this strategy?

Strategy’s Impact on Effective
Uses of Technology by Teachers
How does the strategy support technology
based teaching and learning?

Action Research

Educators conduct semi-formal studies
with their classes to collect baseline
data, track the impact of innovations on
students, and report results.

Technology can play a major role in the collection, analysis,
and reporting of data. It can also support the collaborative
processes that characterize action research.

The practice of using technology in teaching and learning is
relatively new. Action research can make the impact of
effective technology use relevant as it increases a teacher’s

knowledge base. Teachers learn to speak authoritatively
about what is happening in their own classrooms based on
the data they collect.

Examining
Student Work
Together

Small groups of teachers look carefully
at student products, identifying content
knowledge, analyzing the work in the
context of standards, developing and
improving rubrics, and gaining common
understandings of desired student
outcomes.

The Internet offers many resources for teachers on standards
and rubrics. Videoconferencing can bring in an outside expert
or foster collaboration over time and distance. Online
discussion boards provide a means of supporting individual
teachers in their efforts to apply what they learn.

Some of the student work examined may be technology
based or contain technology elements. This provides
opportunities for teacher dialogue and reflection about
effective and appropriate uses of technology.

Immersion

Teachers are placed in an extended,

intensive experience where they are
immersed in content and skill
development. Internships, temporary
jobs, and six-week workshops are just a
few examples.

The actual immersion experience may be technology-rich,
providing teachers with valuable field experiences (e.g., in
well-equipped laboratories or with engineering or publishing
technologies). Follow-up communication through e-mail and
discussion boards can extend these experiences and assist
teachers in applying newly learned skills to their classroom
practice.

The intensity of immersion provides opportunities for
developing and honing technology skills in an authentic
environment. Field experiences provide teachers with insights
into practical applications of digital age thinking and
technology tools within academic disciplines.

Individualized
Learning

Using school improvement goals and
student learning data, individualized
learning allows teachers to personalize
their professional development activities
to meet their own needs, schedules,
and interests.

Technology use in individualized learning can extend beyond
merely enrolling teachers in online workshops. E-mail and
discussion groups provide forums for mentoring and collegial
dialogue. The Internet offers access to research and best
practices, new teaching strategies, and curriculum
development and delivery. Video and audio conferences can
link teachers to distant experts and colleagues, allowing them
to meet their self-identified learning needs.

Not only are many teachers seeking to develop their own
technology proficiency, they are looking for opportunities to
develop their students’ proficiency in this area as well. One
way to accomplish this is for teachers to incorporate
technology into their individualized learning goals, applying
technology and digital age thinking to their classroom practice.

Mentoring

Teachers receive special support from a
colleague who has particular expertise
to share. This usually occurs over time
and with direct application to classroom
activities.

Both synchronous and asynchronous communication can
extend conventional, face-to-face mentor/teacher dialogue.
Electronic journaling and e-mail can support reflective practice
between mentoring sessions and, in some cases, replace
face-to-face sessions.

Teachers often have technology skills but need assistance
with integrating them into classroom practice. A mentor can
help. Technology is one area in which younger teachers (or
even students) are often seen mentoring their veteran
colleagues.

Indiana Department of Education

Fall 2001


THE
STRATEGY:

A Description
What are the key components
of this strategy?
Who has a role to play?

Transforming the Strategy into
‘Next Generation’
How can technology be used to support and
enhance this strategy?

Strategy’s Impact on Effective
Uses of Technology by Teachers
How does the strategy support technology
based teaching and learning?

Networking

Professionals with common interests
and concerns actively seek out each
other’s company to share insights and
seek new solutions to problems of
practice. Local interest groups and
professional organizations offer
opportunities for networking beyond the
school walls.

Technology allows networks to expand to state, national, and
global levels. Collaborative communications technologies (e
mail, Web sites with discussion forums, video
teleconferencing, etc.) allow for more convenient and frequent
communications within the network.

The keys to effective technology professional development
are the establishment and ongoing evaluation of new
practices. Networks can support this process, even for those
teachers in remote locations.

Peer Coaching

The goal of peer coaching is to provide
school-based support for teachers as
they begin to implement skills and
strategies learned in training.

Audio and visual technologies, in particular, can facilitate the
frequent observations at the heart of peer coaching.

Communications technologies enable ongoing conversation
and feedback.

Peer coaching was designed to support complex teaching
behaviors, including the new instructional practices required
for powerful use of technology.

Reflective
Practice

Reflective practice is actually a variety
of practices involving contemplation of
one’s own teaching and learning, as
well as the teaching and learning of
others.

Technology can support reflective practice in ways that vary
from the mundane to the complex, from document processing
to sophisticated “mental mapping” tools such as Inspiration™.
Reflections can be shared through e-mail, discussion boards,
videoconferencing, and more.

Reflection is critical for achieving proficiency in new classroom
practices associated with effective uses of technology. It helps
teachers focus on what is actually happening in their
classrooms and how that aligns with school improvement
goals.

Study Groups

Groups of teachers are organized
around a common interest—usually
improving student learning.

Asynchronous collaboration tools (e-mail, discussion boards,
and listservs) allow for broader involvement in what can be a
time-consuming process. Many of these tools also
automatically archive, enabling group members to share their
efforts with others.

Study groups are a good way to continually investigate the
latest research and best practices related to the use of
technology in teaching and learning. The professional
collegiality and common understandings that come out of
study groups make it easier for teachers to identify and initiate
new instructional practices.

Train the Trainer

Train the Trainer creates teacher
trainers who serve as resources for
others in their schools and districts.

Collaborative technologies (audio and video conferencing, e
mail, discussion forums, etc.) can keep novices and master
trainers in contact. This helps participants avoid the most
common problem associated with Train the Trainer models
the isolation of the novice trainer.

Train the Trainer works best for the transmission of simple

skills related to new technologies. In situations where the
expertise of skilled staff developers is tapped, the
complexities of effective uses in curriculum, instruction, and
assessment can be addressed successfully.

Workshops

Workshops are traditionally face-to-face
sessions lasting a few hours or a few
days. They are generally focused on
the transfer of specific knowledge or
skills.

E-mail and discussion boards extend the workshop
experience and provide a means for follow-up.
Videoconferencing can bring in outside expertise for a portion
of the workshop. Online workshops allow individuals or small
groups of teachers to “attend” workshops not available locally.

Workshops can help teachers learn basic technology skills.
When combined with follow-up sessions, mentoring, or peer
coaching, they provide a powerful tool for effective technology
use in teaching and learning.

Indiana Department of Education

Fall 2001


Action Research:

Emily Calhoun describes action research as “…a
fancy way of saying let’s study what’s happening at
our school (in my class) and decide how to make it a
better place” (Calhoun, 1994, p.1).
Mary Nicolini, an Indian Writing Project leader, says,
“Action research involves turning a puzzlement into a
question to explore.”
In action research, we begin by investigating a
“wondering” rather than testing a hypothesis. This
investigation may be done: by individual educators, in
small groups, or by the entire school faculty. The
team approach is often referred to as collaborative
inquiry.
There are a variety of action research/inquiry models,
but all agree that it involves a recursive cycle rather
than a linear sequence. The steps in this cycle
include identifying a problem or issue to investigate,
formulating a research question, developing a plan
(which often includes an intervention), collecting
data, analyzing and interpreting the data, and
drawing conclusions that lead to the development of
an action plan. Data collection and analysis are
integral to every stage of this process. In fact, data
collected and analyzed throughout may help
investigators modify their interventions, pose new
questions, and collect additional data.
Reflection and dialogue with colleagues are also
important in action research. This is reflective
practice in action; it connects professional
development directly to student learning.

Indiana Department of Education

Why use action research?
According to NCREL, “Action research has the potential to generate genuine and
sustained improvements in schools.” It allows educators to reflect on and assess
their teaching, to explore and test new ideas, methods, and materials, and to
determine the effectiveness of each new approach. Action research keeps teachers
focused on student learning, as well as on instructional practice, materials, and
resources from the perspective of their impact on student performance.
Collaborative action research, whether in small groups or as whole faculty inquiry,
facilitates deep professional dialogue and a sense of direction and purpose. This
reflects truly learner-centered professional development in which the educator
designs and takes responsibility for his/her own learning. As a result, educators
change their practices and beliefs according to data and student learning results.

Action research works when…
Teachers are focused on improved student learning
Teachers have specific concerns and questions about their own classroom
practice and student learning
Participants take time for reflection
Teacher-researchers have the support of a “critical friend” or are part of a
study group, collaborative inquiry group, or a whole-faculty research effort
The culture of the school supports collegiality, experimentation, and
professional growth

Technology and action research:
Action research is an effective strategy for investigating the impact of technology
use on student learning, as well as for linking professional development to student
learning. Through the use of collaboration tools such as discussion forums, e-mail,

and Blackboard.com, teacher-researchers can develop collegial networks and link
to experts in action research. In addition, a variety of software tools assist in the
collection, analysis, and synthesis of data. Researchers can share what they learn
through videotapes, audiotapes, and web pages.

Fall 2001


Scenario:
The principal and faculty of Thomas Jefferson Middle School decided to implement a school-wide
action research inquiry as a strategy for addressing and evaluating the attainment of their goal:
increased student performance in reading and writing.
The principal used spreadsheets and graphs to organize student test scores from ISTEP,
TerraNova, and NWEA so that faculty could identify specific areas for improvement at each grade
level. Faculty members then met in small groups to identify the specific problems that students were
having with reading and writing. Using standardized test scores and teachers’ classroom
assessment data, they identified comprehension as the school’s main reading problem. Identifying a
specific problem for writing proved to be more difficult, since fall 6th and 8th grade ISTEP scores were
the only measure of students’ writing performance. Faculty members decided instead to focus on
two related aspects of reading and writing: 1) improving students’ ability to understand what they
read and 2) improving students’ ability to express and organize ideas in writing.
Together, they investigated possible interventions and selected the 6+1 Traits of Writing and Traits
of Effective Readers from the Northwest Regional Educational Lab’s (NWREL) Website. A school
wide writing assessment was administered to collect baseline data. Teachers also used the Effective
Readers scoring guide to gather baseline data of students’ reading performance.
Three teachers who were familiar with the NWREL programs served as grade level mentors. The
computer resource teacher and two other colleagues who were familiar with technology teamed with
the writing mentors to coach teachers in the use of technology to support student learning in reading
and writing. Inspiration software was used to help students organize their ideas, identify main ideas,
and connect supporting details. The Track Changes feature in Microsoft Word was used to facilitate

peer editing. Students used an electronic “Learning Journal” to set goals, develop individual learning
plans, reflect, and add documents or projects as evidence of goal attainment. Teachers met
regularly in grade level groups to review student work, to share observations and strategies, to
reflect on instructional practices, and to coach one another. Throughout the year, they kept
anecdotal records, reviewed student journals and portfolios, and kept a teaching and learning
journal to document their own instructional practices and observations. Near the end of each grading
period, teachers analyzed students’ classroom performance data using the two scoring guides.
In May, a school-wide post-assessment writing sample and reading inventory were administered.
The principal arranged for release time so that grade level teams could review and analyze data,
draw conclusions, and plan next steps for the following year. Each team’s focused, collaborative
efforts had already helped the school make strides toward its improvement goals, and the faculty
was looking forward to another year of progress using action research.

Indiana Department of Education

Hints for successful action
research:
Clearly identify and articulate the
problem or issue
Use data to confirm the problem or
clarify the issue
Select problems or issues that have
a high probability of impacting
student learning
Formulate the research question
carefully and allow it to drive the
inquiry process
Continue to reflect, analyze data,
and revisit the research question
Links and Resources:

Action Research: Creating Communities
of Inquiry, Discovery, Learning. The
Center of Excellence, Indiana
University, Bloomington, IN:
/>search/title.html
Calhoun, Emily F.; How to Use Action
Research in the self Renewing School;
ASCD; 1994.
NCREL: Pathways to School
Improvement: Action Research:
/>nvrnmnt/drugfree/sa3act.htm

Fall 2001


Examining Student Work Together:
Examining student work collaboratively is a powerful
strategy for professional development, as well as an
effective way to gather data about student learning.
In this strategy, a team that may include teachers,
administrators, and/or specialists meets regularly to
examine and discuss student work. Several different
protocols (structured procedures) have been
developed for examining and discussing student
work. The Tuning Protocol (developed for the
Coalition of Essential Schools) and the Collaborative
Assessment Conference (developed at Harvard’s
Project Zero) are well-defined and proven protocols
that can be found online and in current literature. A
team selects the most appropriate protocol for

addressing their purpose and questions about
student learning when they examine student work.
Although structured protocols may seem stilted and
difficult to follow at first, it is important to follow the
selected protocol carefully. They are designed to
keep observations and comments objective—focused
on students’ work rather than veering off-track with
conversations about personalities, behaviors, and
perceptions. The protocols also ensure that the
team’s original purpose and questions are
addressed. Thus, dialogue becomes richer and more
insightful. It may be helpful to appoint one group
member as the leader to ensure that a selected
protocol is followed and to keep the discussion
focused on student work.

Indiana Department of Education

Why examine student work together?
Examining student work together helps teachers, administrators, and specialists
develop a common understanding of standards and expectations for student work.
When teams of educators examine and discuss student work, the team generates
more ideas for effective instructional strategies and resources than any teacher can
when working alone. The team’s analysis of student work provides data for
measuring progress toward individual and school-wide learning goals, as well as for
identifying effective instructional practices. Collaboration around student work
fosters collegiality and builds a learning community. When teams meet during staff
meeting times, prep periods, or during short blocks of release time using rotating
substitutes, professional learning is embedded into the daily lives of teachers and
administrators.

Examining student work together works when…
There are common goals for student learning
There is a need for collaborative problem solving
There is a range of experience and expertise among teachers
There is time during the school day for collaboration
There is a sense of trust and collegiality among teachers

Technology and student work:
When educators examine technology-based student work, they can investigate how
technology impacts student learning and identify ways that new technology tools
might add value to teaching and learning. New technology tools such as Yahoo
Groups or Blackboard.com can provide anytime, anywhere collaboration around
student work. Videoconferences can connect classroom teachers, pre-service
teachers and university professors, or experts from business, industry, and the arts
to examine and discuss student portfolios or videotaped demonstrations and
performances.

Fall 2001


Scenario:
Every 3-4 weeks, a team of Valley Creek Middle School teachers meets during a prep period to
examine and discuss student work. Prior to the meeting described below, team members identified
writing skills in the content areas as a learning goal for the school year.
This session beings with the selection of a discussion facilitator who will make sure that the protocol
is followed and that conversation remains focused on student work. For this particular session, the
group chooses to use the Collaborative Assessment Conference protocol to review a paper from
one of the students in Mr. Jones’ social studies class. Following the selected protocol, Mr. Jones
does not talk about the assignment, the student, or the context of the lesson as he hands each team

member a copy of a student’s paper. Team members read and jot brief notes on their individual
copies of the paper.
The facilitator, Ms. Thompson, opens the discussion by reminding the group that its purpose is to
help Mr. Jones think about important issues found in the paper and plan appropriate instructional
strategies. She adds, “By examining this work, we will all learn more about our own teaching.”
Throughout the subsequent discussion, Mr. Jones sits silently at a laptop that is connected to a
projector, listens intently to the conversation, and uses Inspiration to web and cluster his teammates’
comments. The group begins to describe the work by responding to the facilitator’s questions—
“What do you see in the work?” and “Can you be more specific?” During the next step, team
members ask questions about the work.
Finally, it is time to hear from Mr. Jones. He switches places with a teammate, who begins to add
Mr. Jones’ comments to the Inspiration clusters. Mr. Jones explains that the student’s assignment
was to summarize the key ideas from an online news article about rising oil prices. He responds to
earlier comments and questions from team members and adds his own observations. Soon the
facilitator prompts the entire group, including Mr. Jones, to reflect on the discussion and to look for
patterns in the Inspiration clusters. The team concludes that this student has difficulty identifying
key points and summarizing them. Team members agree that many students at this grade level
have the same difficulty. The team brainstorms ways to help students improve in this area. Before
the session adjourns and teachers go to their classes, Mr. Jones decides to try the following activity
that the team developed. Working in pairs, students will read another article and use Inspiration to
take notes. Next, they will convert the webs into an outline, making sure it is sequenced logically.
Finally, the students will paste the outline into a word processing document and use it as a
framework for helping them draft a summary of the article. Two other teachers also decide to try this
activity with their students. The three teachers plan to bring sample papers to the next session so
that the team can score them together using the Six Traits Writing rubric. Teachers are eager to
investigate the effectiveness of the approach they designed.

Indiana Department of Education

Hints for successfully

examining student work
together:
Establish group norms and
expectations for work sessions
Plan sufficient time for thorough
analysis and dialogue
Identify the purpose and desired
results for examining student work
Select the most appropriate
protocol for the identified purpose
Stick to the protocol and don’t let
the conversation wander
Discuss the work—not the student,
the lesson, the assignment, or the
teacher’s expertise
Links and Resources:
The Annenberg Institute for School
Reform:
National Council of Staff Development:
/>htm
Coalition of Essential Schools:
/>orace/13/v13n02.html#3
Blythe, Allen, Powell. Looking Together
at Student Work. Teachers’ College
Press; New York, NY: 1999

Fall 2001


Immersion:

Immersion emphasizes shifting the structure of a
teacher's educational perspective and belief system.
While other, more traditional professional
development focuses on making changes in specific
teaching behaviors and strategies, immersion
involves teachers in learning and adjusting new
strategies as they practice them in their classrooms.
Teachers are immersed in a series of activities that
directly engage them in these new strategies,
processes, and practices. An important aspect of
immersion is the opportunity teachers have to
participate in and reflect upon how these experiences
are different from what currently occurs in their
classrooms. In order to provide the appropriate
guidance, insight, and perspective for the immersion
experience, it is necessary to use educators
experienced in teaching the new strategies as
facilitators for small peer groups.
In 1980, Sprinthall and Sprinthall proposed a model
for professional development that promotes teachers’
developmental growth through a blend of immersion
and reflection. The model stresses the importance of
learning through active involvement in real situations,
careful and continuous guided reflection, a balance
between action and reflection, the extension of the
program over a significant period of time (two to three
years), the provision of personal support for the
learner, and a reasonable level of challenge.

Indiana Department of Education

Why use immersion?
Immersion can be very successful in moving large numbers of teachers forward in
their thinking about teaching and learning. It provides the techniques and strategies
teachers need to successfully implement innovation, giving them first hand
knowledge of what their classroom practice should look like.
Immersion supports the kinds of adult learning that will bring educators
enthusiastically to the cutting edge of practice. Staff actually see and experience
new ways of teaching and learning, and complex issues that would require too
many workshops can be adequately addressed in context.

Immersion works when…
It is necessary for staff to actually see and experience new ways of teaching
and learning
The issues are complex and it would take too many workshops to cover the
same material
An entire team, grade level, or school is trying to move forward
There are high quality, experienced teachers available to lead your staff
through the immersion experience

Technology and immersion:
Technology can overcome barriers of time and location. Videoconferences, e-mail,
online collaboration tools (such as CentraNow and NetMeeting), and e-mail can
provide teachers with access to mentors, coaches, professionals in the field, and
teachers who are experts in a desired instructional approach. Through immersion,
teachers learn how technology tools are used by professionals in the field. When
teachers use technology for learning and authentic work, they are better prepared to
provide authentic, technology-based, 21st century learning opportunities to their
students.

Fall 2001


Scenario:
Speakman Middle School had been working on its school improvement plan. Staff members were
struggling with how to align curriculum to state standards, improve the learning environment for their
students, create interdisciplinary projects, and use technology more effectively as an integral part of
instruction. Every staff member knew that these goals would mean an immense undertaking, but
they truly believed it was necessary to establish a 21st century curriculum that met the needs of their
students. The first step was to go on some “field trips” to a few successful businesses, industries,
and service organizations in the area to see what these 21st century skills looked like in the
workplace. They discovered that most employees worked in teams to solve specific problems or to
develop products. After brainstorming about ways to prepare students for work in similar teams, the
staff settled on a Project-Based Learning approach based on immersion and reflection.
Unfortunately, only a few Speakman teachers had ever used PBL, so it would be difficult to actively
involve the entire staff in a school-wide implementation process. One group of teachers was sent to
Proctor Middle School to observe how they implemented PBL; another group attended PBL-related
conferences. Both groups soon realized that traditional professional development (in this case,
incremental skill-building) was not going to satisfy their needs: moving to a PBL based environment
would require a significant change in teacher attitudes, skills, and strategies. Teachers at
Speakman needed to get the “big picture” and learn from peer experts how PBL could work in their
school and with their students.
Speakman’s principal arranged to hire several of Proctor’s teachers. Together, they developed an
immersion experience in which Speakman’s teachers spent two weeks during the summer. During
that time, the novice teachers were involved in numerous activities that not only immersed them in
project-based learning experiences, but which demonstrated, concretely, how PBL strategies could
work in their school. A major part of the two weeks involved individual and group reflection,
answering the why, how, what, and when questions. Time was also spent developing projects
among teams of teachers, with the Proctor teachers serving as mentors. Those two weeks were just
the beginning, but they served as the boost the staff needed to move from a more traditional style of

teaching and learning to a more holistic approach that relied on a standards-based curriculum.

Hints for successful immersion:
Establish a clear idea of the vision
and long-term goals for the school
Have teachers identify what they
want to know and be able to do
Have teachers set short- and longterm goals for their own
professional development
Provide opportunities for field
experiences, such as summer work
in related fields, professionals
serving as mentors, or observation
and coaching from teachers
currently using the desired
instructional approach
Provide opportunities for follow-up
and ongoing support
Monitor progress towards goals,
celebrate successes, and modify
strategies as appropriate
Links and Resources:
Sprinthall and Sprinthall (1980)

Thanks, in part, to the immersion experience, teachers at Speakman and Proctor have developed
an ongoing relationship; they now routinely communicate via e-mail, and Speakman teachers
periodically invite their mentors to observe their lessons via videoconference. While some
handholding is still necessary, Speakman has moved significantly forward in its effort to improve
teaching and learning. Immersion is not the answer for everyone, but it does hold promise for those
schools that are eager to move a large number of people in a fairly short amount of time.

Indiana Department of Education

Fall 2001


Individualized Learning:
Individualized learning allows teachers to personalize
their professional development activities to meet their
own needs, schedules, and interests. When teachers
create this type of personalized professional
development, they take into consideration the
strengths and weaknesses of their teaching strategy
repertoire based on student learning data from their
classrooms and their schools.
Using school improvement goals and student learning
data, teachers can decide what workshops will best
meet their needs, what books they should read, what
colleagues they might observe or collaborate with,
what conferences they should attend, and how they
will evaluate their own resulting professional growth.
In other words, individual (or small groups of)
teachers, in collaboration with a professional
development coordinator or a principal, can identify
specific needs and ways to address those needs by
drawing on a variety of professional development
activities as they are appropriate and available.

Why use individualized learning?
We know that nearly everyone learns best when they see an authentic need for

content and skills. Just as students differ in their development and readiness, so do
teachers. A generic, one-size-fits-all approach to professional development is
doomed to failure for a significant part of any faculty, as some teachers need more
basic work and others are ready to move on. When teachers play a lead role in
identifying their students’ needs, and when they pursue opportunities for their own
learning to better meet their student needs, they assume ownership and responsibility
for their professional growth. They learn because they want to – not because they are
required to attend so many in-service hours whether they need them or not.

Individualized learning works when…
There is guidance and on-going support for planning individualized learning
Individual learning coordinates with and supports school improvement and
student learning goals
There are opportunities for collaboration
Both teacher learning and student learning are evaluated

Technology and individualized learning:
More effective student use of technology for learning is a need many teachers can
identify. Yet a major barrier to meeting this need is often lack of teacher knowledge
about technology use. One way to overcome this barrier is for teachers to incorporate
technology into their individualized learning goals. Technology can also play a critical
role in helping teachers address their individual needs. Online professional
development workshops are offered by a number of reputable organizations. E-mail
and online discussion groups provide a forum for mentoring and collegial dialogue.
The Internet offers access to research findings and other information about best
practices, teaching strategies, and curriculum development and delivery. Video and
audio conferences can link small groups of teachers to distant experts and
colleagues.

Indiana Department of Education

Fall 2001


Scenario:
Water Valley High School teachers see professional development as a continuous growth
opportunity for themselves and for their students. Each year, they meet with the professional
development coordinator and the technology director (both members of the School Improvement
Team) to discuss their goals and the professional development resources currently available.
Individual teachers, as well as department teams, examine current student data and identify
departmental objectives that align school improvement goals to student needs. They also revisit the
personal needs assessments each completed the year before. Depending on the progress each
teacher made during the past year, he or she either: has enough useable data; takes the
assessment again; or uses a new assessment tool focused on different skills. Then, armed with an
understanding of school and district goals, departmental objectives, student needs, and their own
knowledge and skill needs, each teacher uses the template provided by the district to design a year
long plan for individualized learning.
Ms. Domberg’s data reveals that her students need to better analyze and interpret information when
solving problems. At a conference last spring, she saw a presentation on spreadsheets and
graphing utilities that would be useful, but she is not comfortable using them. Because school and
district plans emphasize problem-based learning, she believes this will be a good focus for part of
her individualized learning and discusses it with her colleagues at a departmental planning meeting.
A fellow teacher, Mr. Bloom, has identified a similar goal, and the two decide to team up. Another
teacher refers them to a Website she found that gives instructions and ideas for classroom
implementation of problem-based learning and suggests that they confer with the technology
director about training.
Each department member receives similar support in creating his or her individual plan for the year.
After a few weeks, teachers electronically submit their goals and strategies to the professional
development coordinator, who reviews them and identifies additional resources, makes
suggestions, and helps make connections with teachers in other departments with similar goals and

strategies. Ms. Domberg finds a colleague in the middle school who wants to join her and Mr.
Bloom in observing each others’ classes and examining student work. They plan to develop rubrics
together.
Throughout the year, teachers pursue learning opportunities and share what they learn with
department teams and teachers in other departments with similar goals. The latter is done primarily
through listservs and discussion boards set up by the technology director. Data collection, analysis,
self-reflection, and dialogue with colleagues help these teachers establish new goals and design
individualized learning for the next school year.

Indiana Department of Education

Hints for successful
individualized learning:
Provide structure for individualized
learning through templates, help
sessions, or individual conferences
Plan sufficient time for thorough
needs assessment, data
collection, analysis and dialogue
Encourage and support small
group collaboration
Provide plenty of information and
resources about available
professional development
opportunities, as well as school
and district initiatives
Schedule regular checkpoints for
examining progress of both
student and teacher learning
Continually monitor and align

individual teachers’ learning to
student learning and school
improvement goals
Links and Resources:
NSDC Standards for Staff
Development:
/>NSDC Library: Online Learning
/>Professional Development Portfolio
Project: />Concept to Classroom (online
workshops):
/>
Fall 2001


Mentoring:
Mentoring is an effective strategy for assisting
teachers in adapting to new roles, new schools, new
tools, and/or different teaching assignments. While
traditionally reserved for novice teachers, it is
important to look at mentoring as a possibility when
experienced teachers change schools or are given
new teaching assignments. Mentoring can be part of
a strong support system that provides opportunities
for veterans to assist fellow teachers in learning new
instructional strategies, classroom management, and
effective technology integration techniques.
The mentor experience is important in developing a
relationship between the mentee and his or her new
school situation. For mentoring to be effective,
mentors should be role models and leaders. They

convey aspirations, school and community goals, and
share knowledge, skills and attitudes with their
mentees. They must be interested, respectful, have
good communication skills, and be willing to support
a mentee for at least one full year. It is important to
note that the personality traits of either party are not
as important as the quality of their interactions. In
other words, successful mentoring can be learned.
Not all teachers need the same mentoring program,
so mentors must be flexible and set realistic
expectations with their mentees, keeping in mind the
training, teaching readiness, and support mentees
need to become an effective part of the school
community. Mentors are men and women driven by a
positive spirit to inspire and guide.

Indiana Department of Education

Why use mentoring?
Both mentors and mentees have discovered the following benefits to this type of
relationship:
Mentors had:
Their attitudes and professional outlook significantly altered
Their assumptions challenged
Their own careers and professional development enhanced
Mentees learned to:
Overcome obstacles and avoid pitfalls
Maintain motivation and perseverance
Set goals and select appropriate strategies and tools to meet them

Mentoring works when…
The school provides frequent and open interactions among individuals at
different career stages and hierarchical levels
The school culture is one of collaboration and trust that values and
encourages mentoring relationships
Individuals are willing to cultivate and support mentoring relationships
The mentor has expertise, is willing to guide (not dictate), and has good
communication and interpersonal skills
The knowledge and skills of the mentee are recognized and honored

Technology and mentoring:
Not all teachers have the necessary skills or knowledge to effectively integrate
technology into the curriculum to support and expand learning opportunities for their
students. Mentors can play an integral role in supporting both new and veteran
teachers as they explore the role of technology in teaching and learning and
investigate ways to incorporate new technology tools into their classroom practice.
Mentors may want to invite mentees to their classrooms to either observe or co
teach model lessons using technology, and they may wish to provide the name(s) of
other teachers who are making use of technology as well. Mentees might choose to
complete a self-assessment using an online tool such as enGauge, then reflect on
the resulting data with their mentors.

Fall 2001


Scenario:
Palmer High School is an innovative public school that has embraced new technologies and new
teaching strategies to increase student learning. Mary, a teacher, came to Palmer from a more
traditional setting—a large high school with low accountability, a high level of isolation, and little, if
any, use of technology.

At Palmer, Mary found herself in a very different world, characterized by a focus on collaboration,
student learning, interdisciplinary practice, and powerful, authentic use of technology tools.
Fortunately for Mary, the culture at Palmer was one of collaboration in a community of learners.
Mentoring, coaching, and collegiality were the norm for teachers and administrators, as well as
students. Students not only mentored one another, but also served as technology mentors for
teachers. In addition, administrators served as mentors for teachers who were interested in moving
into leadership positions.
As a new member of this professional community, Mary was struck by the interdependence of the
teachers. The school's culture promoted mentoring interactions on many levels. Mary was assigned
to a mentor who worked with her throughout the year, orienting her to the philosophy of the school,
helping her get comfortable with an interdisciplinary approach, teaching her about new technology
tools, and providing ongoing support on a variety of issues. At first, Mary was concerned that her
mentor was not in her department, and she felt she didn’t need someone “watching her and telling
her how to teach.” She soon discovered that her mentor not only offered valuable suggestions, but
recognized and respected her knowledge and skills as well. In a short time, Mary began to view her
mentor as a valuable colleague. Much of their interaction over subsequent months focused on such
basic skills as finding strategies for integrating numerous technologies into teaching and linking what
students were learning in her classes to what they were learning in her mentor’s classes. By the last
grading period, Mary actually looked forward to collaborating with her mentor to plan and implement
an interdisciplinary unit using technology tools. Mary even suggested NetMeeting as a possible
solution to a scheduling problem that was preventing some students from participating in the unit.
Later, Mary told her mentor that the only reason she was willing to risk attempting technology-based,
interdisciplinary lessons was that she was not alone—she had come to count on her mentor’s
expertise and support.

Hints for successful mentoring:
Conduct mentor training sessions
which address the skills, attitudes,
and knowledge important for
teachers to become effective

mentors
Look for individuals who are
enthusiastic about their roles as
teachers
Seek out teachers who reflect highquality teaching
Look for staff who have effective
communication skills, especially
those who are good listeners
Solicit individuals who are willing to
commit the time necessary to
support their mentee throughout the
entire school year
Links and Resources:
The George Lucas Foundation:
/>Teachers First:
/>The NEA Foundation:


In the end, Mary found that Palmer was a rich, complex, and colorful learning community that
succeeded in providing all of its teachers and students opportunities to learn and the support and
encouragement needed to make the most of those opportunities. The mentoring experience
provided a chance for Mary to continually examine her teaching practices, leadership skills, and
beliefs about teaching and learning, and to reflect on whether her actions as an educator were
consistent with her beliefs.

Indiana Department of Education

Fall 2001

Networking:
Why use networking?
Networking is a common characteristic of virtually
every profession. Professionals with common
interests and concerns actively seek out each other’s
company to share insights and seek new solutions to
problems of practice. The typical K-12 teaching
environment has historically presented significant
barriers to networking. Teachers are isolated in
classrooms for the majority of their working day;
coaching and club sponsorships extend far into afterschool hours. Networks provide an opportunity for
teachers to both seek out new classroom practices
and to share the best of their knowledge with other
professionals.
Networks can be created informally – when a group
of teachers with a common interest meets in a
graduate course and begins to correspond on a
regular basis, for example – or they can occur within
the structure of a professional association. The latter
may even become a sanctioned interest group of that
association. Many professional development
initiatives recognize the value of networks and
include overt strategies for creating them. In modern
parlance, a “learning community” is a network of
individuals with a common interest that explores that
interest in a collaborative fashion.

Indiana Department of Education

Professional networks can break through the isolation so common for teachers and

administrators. They provide an opportunity for discourse with other adults that is
often rare in a teacher’s life. This gives educators an opportunity to advance their
own practice through the experiences of others and to contribute as professionals to
the growth of others. Networks can help educators maintain professional motivation
by providing a stream of new ideas and possibilities. They can also introduce a
positive type of accountability to teaching practice, as educators have an
opportunity to reflect on their own practices and compare their practices to those of
other educators in the network. As part of a professional development initiative,
networks can hasten the successful implementation of a program or instructional
practice as teachers learn, not only from their own mistakes and successes, but
from those of others.

Networking works when…
Participants have a strong interest or commitment in the topic or topics
explored
Participants share a common language and experience
A good facilitator keeps things moving
There are mechanisms for interpersonal support as well as shared
information
People are there because they want to be…not because they have to be

Technology and networking:
In the past, many networks relied on a combination of regular face-to-face meetings
and occasional communications via phone or mail. These latter communications
were often limited in impact, as they would normally involve only two participants. If
the network was national, additional hurdles related to time zones and timeliness of
mail had to be considered. With technology, many of these concerns disappear.
Through Web boards, e-mail and listservs, communications can take place virtually
instantaneously. Given the asynchronous nature of these technologies, they are
also convenient. The ability to attach documents, URLs, and even video clips to

these forms of communications add richness and immediacy, thus providing
powerful support for networks.

Fall 2001


Scenario:
While participating in a week-long summer gifted and talented conference, a group of participants in
a session on Authentic Teaching and Learning became very excited about the concept of providing
students with opportunities to communicate and collaborate with audiences beyond their own
classrooms. Mary White, the presenter of the session and a district gifted and talented coordinator,
offered to serve as a facilitator for the group to keep the conversation on authentic learning alive
online until they returned to the conference the following year.
A listserv was established in Ms. White’s district to discuss authentic learning experiences and to
share what each participant was doing to implement the strategies in his or her classroom. In the
beginning, the communication was rather sparse.
Then Ms. White began to seed the
communications with examples of practice she had seen in her own district and had read about in
journals. At one point, she invited a well-known professor who had written a book on authentic
learning to join an online conversation for a set period of time; the professor would be able to
answer questions and give counsel to teachers who were beginning to apply authentic learning
concepts in their classrooms. Ms. White also made sure that all early messages were responded
to, and the listserv soon gained momentum.
As teachers began to describe projects they were undertaking in their classrooms, other teachers
began to express an interest in participating in those projects. The communications grew until the
amount of e-mail generated by the list became overwhelming, with much of the mail of interest to
only a few participants. At that point, one of the participants volunteered to work with her students
to establish a Web site and Web board in order to move the conversation into a threaded
environment.
At the summer conference the following year, several of the participants presented what is now

referred to as ALT.NET, the Authentic Learning Team Network. Interested teachers were invited to
sign up online and participation grew quickly.

Hints for successful networking:
Create networks around the
concerns and interests of the
participants; not the district
administration
Include “perks” (from release time
for occasional face-to-face
meetings to support for attendance
at national conferences) for network
participation
Charge a good facilitator with
keeping things fresh and
occasionally “priming the pump”
with good questions and new ideas
Consider using “push” technologies
such as listservs and periodic
updates via e-mail to remind
participants to network
Links and Resources:
Joyce, Bruce et al. The New Structure
of School Improvement: Inquiring
Schools and Achieving Students. Open
University Press; Philadelphia; 1999
WISE (Web-based Inquiry Science
Environment) program at U.C. Berkeley
/>NSDC: “Teachers Get Help from the
Guide on the Side”

/>ml

Indiana Department of Education

Fall 2001


Peer Coaching:
Why use peer coaching?
Peer coaching, a professional development strategy
championed by Bruce Joyce and Beverly Showers
(among others), has proven useful in providing inclassroom follow-up to training that has taken place
in a workshop or immersion setting.
The goal of peer coaching is to provide school-based
support for teachers as they begin to implement the
skills or new teaching strategies that were developed
in the training. A coach may teach a model lesson,
demonstrate the use of new technology skills, coteach with a classroom teacher to provide hands-on
support, and act as another set of eyes and ears by
observing the classroom and giving feedback.
According to research by Joyce and Showers, even
in the best workshops - where new skills and
practices are adequately presented and sufficient
opportunity to practice is provided - less than ten
percent of teachers are able to implement those
practices on return to the classroom. With the
addition of a peer coaching element to the training
program, the numbers of teachers who implement
new skills and practices successfully could be
increased to

Indiana Department of Education

Peer coaching not only provides follow up support for teachers who are learning
new skills but also strengthens the coach’s understanding and skills. This strategy
provides authentic learning that is directly connected to teachers’ classroom
practice thus embedding professional development into the school day. Coaching is
an effective strategy for technology integration because the focus is on teaching and
learning, planning, and facilitating technology-based learning opportunities for
students.

Peer coaching works when…
The required skill or knowledge can be adequately developed in a workshop
setting, but follow-up is needed
Teachers involved are provided with adequate, common, release time
Teachers involved are at a similar experience level
An entire school or team is involved in the initiative
A culture is created in the school that supports innovation and experimentation

Technology and peer coaching:
Powerful use of technology often requires new teaching and learning practices.
When using technology, for example, learning is often more project-based. While
steps in a project-based learning approach can be illustrated, taught, and designed
in a workshop setting, initial attempts in the classroom benefit from observation and
coaching. Peer coaching is an excellent strategy to use when new, technology
supported teaching practices are being learned. As observation is a primary activity
of peer coaching, improved Web-based video technologies may afford opportunities
for remote observations and collaboration.

Fall 2001

Scenario:
Roosevelt Middle School identified several improvement goals that will serve as its focus for
professional development during the next two to three years. Among the goals identified by the
science and math team was the construction and interpretation of graphs and the use of authentic
data sets for problem solving. The former is drawn from the state standards for math and science:
the latter from the district goals for preparing students with the necessary skills for the 21st century.
The science/math staff consists of two teachers from each of the six “families” that comprise the
school. As a result of one team member’s participation in a project through the WISE (Web-based
Inquiry Science Environment) program at the University of California at Berkeley, the entire team
has developed an interest in exploring the use of real-time data collection in support of inquiry
learning in math and science. One set of tools emphasized in the WISE project is a set of real-time
graphing tools that allow students to watch changes in data sets as they occur. Research at
Berkeley demonstrated that students who used real-time graphing software performed significantly
better on assessments of graph-related skills than did students who learned by traditional means.
The trainer for Roosevelt’s program came from another middle school in the district. This teacher
had participated in data collection projects for several years and attended two summer institutes at
Berkeley. The training, which was delivered over the course of a school year, began with hands-on
experiences with real-time graphing in an inquiry environment. Teachers experienced this innovation
as learners, then discussed the characteristics of standards and benchmarks that would be
appropriate for real-time tools. After the session, the teachers were assigned to three member
teams. These teams met several times during the three weeks preceding the second session to
review their curriculum and identify opportunities for using the strategy.
The second trainer-led session began with a discussion of the questions and problems encountered
in the review process. The remainder of the session involved a hands-on experience with a variety
of real-world data sets, followed by a presentation of a design process for creating units that
incorporate these tools and strategies. As a follow-up, the coaching teams conducted a
collaborative review of data sets and tools related to key standards and created units that would
incorporate these tools and resources.

A third session focused on strategies for classroom implementation of inquiry learning using the
tools provided. Participants watched videotapes of lessons conducted by teachers of varying
expertise and then reflected upon the merits and shortfalls of each. One unit was selected by each
team for refinement and implementation. Each teacher on a team would be observed once by each
other teacher on the team. Notes and reflections on their experiences would be compiled and
brought to subsequent sessions, which would focus on problems and successes encountered in
implementation, a refinement of skills, and exploration of additional opportunities.

Indiana Department of Education

Hints for successful peer
coaching:
Keep teams small (2 to 3 teachers)
Involve all teachers at the same
grade level or with the same
teaching assignment
Involve building administrators in
the training and practice
Caution teachers to avoid giving
advice to one another, especially
comments following an observation
Include an ongoing collaborative
study of student learning in the
process
Links and Resources:
Joyce, Bruce et al. The New Structure
of School Improvement: Inquiring
Schools and Achieving Students. Open
University Press; Philadelphia; 1999
WISE (Web-based Inquiry Science

Environment) program at U.C. Berkeley:
/>NSDC: “Teachers Get Help from the
Guide on the Side”:
/>ml

Fall 2001


Reflective Practice:
Why use reflective practice?
Reflecting on one’s own thinking processes is at the
core of high-level learning. Reflective practice, a
metacognitive strategy of linking and constructing
meaning from experience, as described by Arthur L.
Costa and Bena Kallick (2000), encourages insight
and supports this sort of complex thinking.
The central component of reflective practice is the
capacity to be conscious of oneself. Whether we are
engaged in reflecting on the process of our own
learning or pondering the learning of others, reflective
practice involves processing information and
synthesizing, then evaluating, data.
Reflective practice also means applying what we
learn beyond the context in which we learn it. As a
professional development strategy, reflective practice
is at the core of evaluating instructional practices and
intended outcomes. Just as reflection is essential for
students to derive rich meaning from their learning
experiences, reflective practice is crucial as
educators engage in their own personal professional

development activities.

Indiana Department of Education

Engaging in reflective practice provides educators:
Opportunities for feedback about what went wrong or how what they did
worked
Opportunities to make decisions based on feedback from colleagues and
critical friends
Opportunities to consider multiple perspectives and glean insights that will
drive future change
Practice with self-referencing one’s own thinking, actions, and evaluative
skills

Reflective practice works when…
Educators set aside time to step back from the work and ask, “What have I
learned from this experience?”
Thoughts and insights are recorded in written or oral form
Intended outcomes are compared with actual outcomes
Educators use those results to “think about the thinking”

Technology and reflective practice:
Technology can support reflective practice in ways that free educators to focus on
“thinking about the thinking.” Thanks to the flexibility of word processing software,
the educator can record and document reflective experiences with colleagues either
by exchanging files or using electronic communication to share documents.
Journaling software can help an educator record thoughts, insights, and plans of
action in written form. Graphic organizer software provides a means to “see the
thinking” of others as educators share with colleagues in discussion groups,
interviews, and questioning dialogues. These reflective documents can be easily

stored and retrieved to keep track of professional growth activities and to see how
perspectives and ideas change over time. Reflective practice is an effective way for
educators to gain insights about the impact technology-based learning experiences
have on student performance.

Fall 2001


Scenario:
After analyzing student performance data, the Beaver Trail Middle School improvement committee
and staff developed two learning goals for their students—improving students’ reading in content
areas and expository (informational) writing. When the Explorer team (an interdisciplinary, multi-age
team) met to discuss strategies for achieving these goals, they determined that critical thinking and
making connections among the content areas would help their students improve in both reading
and writing. However, they decided to use reflective practice to help them determine what impact
this focus would have on their students’ learning; to monitor what worked and what didn’t; and to
apply what they learned to modify their day-to-day practice. They planned to share what they were
learning with their colleagues from other teams at staff meetings and by posting the Inspiration
maps from group reflection in the public folder discussion groups on the Intranet.
The Explorer teachers began by designing a unit centered on the concept of Conflict. Team
members believed that concept-based units would deepen students’ understanding and help them
increase their critical thinking skills as they studied, compared, and contrasted the impact conflict
had on culture, economics, government, and citizenship during different periods of history and in
different parts of the world. In this way, the team could plan a single unit of study for students that
would address the content across grade levels. Just after school ended for the year, the team
planned to meet at one member’s home for lunch to brainstorm ideas, map out the scope of the
interdisciplinary unit, and assign responsibilities for lesson design over the summer. When the
computer facilitator, the art teacher, and the music teacher heard of the plan, they asked if they
could join in the project to help students connect what they were learning in the unit to art, music,
and new technologies. At the end of the meeting, team members discussed their thoughts and

concerns and each member recorded individual reflections in his/her journal.
Though everyone was busy over the summer, the team collaborated on the project by e-mail and
through chat sessions, sharing lesson plans for feedback. Team members also sent documents
and questions to a curriculum and assessment consultant who had worked with them throughout
the past year via videoconferences. Feedback from team members, as well as individual reflection,
helped the team stay focused on the concept of conflict and on incorporating student learning
activities that targeted critical thinking, content reading, and informational writing. In their
reflections, teachers noted that it was easy to get so involved in developing exciting activities that
some activities might miss the target of the student learning goals.
As these teachers observed students in their classrooms, examined student work, read their
reflections, and talked with students throughout the school year, they continued to journal, share,
and discuss their reflections, insights, and concerns related to student learning. Through this
reflective practice, teachers began to identify what did and didn’t work in their conflict unit and were
able to modify and adjust along the way. Although the unit was the only new one they designed for
that school year, the student learning growth teachers documented and the habit of reflective
practice they developed helped them to apply what they learned to other units and lessons, and
they continued to monitor and adjust their plans and expectations for students. Teachers from other
teams became interested in this approach as they heard Explorer teachers and students share their
experiences. Department of Education
Indiana

Hints for successful reflective
practice:
Discussion groups help educators
focus on the problem-solving and
monitoring processes.
Interviews are effective for reflecting
on learning experiences and
refining how and where new
knowledge can be used

Dialogue and questioning help
educators determine which
metacognitive strategies were used
to monitor their thinking processes
Logs and journals record the most
significant learning experiences,
ways to apply new learning, and
how to develop an action plan to
modify instructional practices
appropriately
Links and Resources:
Costa, A. L. & B. Kallick. Habits of Mind:
A Developmental Series. Alexandria,
VA; Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development, 2000
Caine, R., N. Caine & G. Caine.
Unleashing the Power of Perceptual
Change. Alexandria, VA; Association for
Supervision and Curriculum
Development, 1997

Fall 2001


Study Groups:

Study groups are organized around a common
interest - usually improved teaching and learning.
While themselves a key professional development
strategy, study groups often employ a combination of

other strategies as their members: discuss research
and best practices, examine student work together,
reflect on classroom practices, analyze data, engage
in problem solving and planning, and conduct action
research.
Study groups are often school-based, with meetings
incorporated into the regular school day. A wholefaculty study group is one approach to professional
development that can provide tremendous support
for a school improvement plan. It is also possible to
organize district level and even web-based virtual
study groups successfully. Once study groups have
been formed, it is important to set norms; clarify
purpose, goals, and expected outcomes; identify
critical issues in establishing roles and
responsibilities; gather resources; meet regularly to
share information, ideas, and resources; establish
and implement an action plan; determine criteria for
assessing success; and evaluate goal attainment
and the impact on student learning.

Indiana Department of Education

Why use study groups?
Study groups have proven useful in supporting school improvement efforts,
investigating research and best practices, and identifying and solving problems. The
goal of study groups is to provide a collaborative learning forum focused on
improved student learning. Study groups help teachers connect new information to
their existing knowledge, skills, and beliefs. They facilitate deep professional
dialogue, reflection, and a balancing of current realities with desired outcomes.
When an entire faculty is involved in the group and its dialogue, all teachers

experience ownership in the school improvement process. This increases the
likelihood that the group’s recommendations and solutions will be implemented
successfully.

Study groups work when…
Faculty members have common interests and concerns about student
learning
The school culture promotes collaboration and professional growth
There is a range of knowledge, skills, and expertise among group members
An entire school or team is involved in the initiative
The school culture values research and best practices
Leadership is shared

Technology and study groups:
Web based collaboration tools such as Blackboard.com make it possible to create
virtual study groups without concerns about location and distance. This allows
educators to collaborate with colleagues and experts literally anywhere, anytime.
Online resources are a valuable source of information about research and best
practices. Communication through e-mail and web conferencing tools such as
CentraNow and NetMeeting can also facilitate and support study group
collaboration.

Fall 2001


Scenario:
Dearfield Elementary School’s continuous school improvement plan includes the following:
1) All students will demonstrate at least one full year’s growth in reading as measured by the
RIT score on the NWEA Level Tests and 2) All students will increase their holistic score in
writing by one level as measured by the 6+1 Traits Writing rubric.

Hints for successful study groups:
Organize around a common interest
related to student learning
Include members with a range of
knowledge, skills, and expertise
Establish group norms
Clarify a common purpose, goals, and
expected outcomes
Establish roles, responsibilities, and a
proposed timeline
Emphasize the need for flexibility and
collaboration
Establish a data-driven decision-making
process

Before designing a professional development program to support these goals, a study group
was formed and all faculty members were invited to participate. Due to a small professional
development budget and a minimal amount of common planning time during the school day,
the group decided to use Blackboard.com, a free web-based collaboration tool, as a virtual
meeting place to extend dialogue and reflection among members. In this way, a first grade
teacher posted his research findings to his subgroup’s discussion board during a morning
prep period. A fifth grade colleague accessed, read, and responded to comments at 11:00
p.m. from home, her preferred time for reflection and professional learning.
As the study groups’ work progressed, members began to identify critical issues and
valuable resources, including links to research and interactive Internet sites that they posted
to Blackboard. By mid-year, the group had developed a plan for a three-year professional
development program and posted it in the Blackboard Document area for feedback from the
entire faculty and the parents and community members on the School Improvement Team
(SIP). Using Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature, everyone was able to submit

suggestions and ideas.
One of the first strategies in the plan was to provide support for scoring, analyzing, and
providing feedback on student writing. One faculty member volunteered to contact NWREL
to ask how to provide this help to teachers. The cost for training and travel was prohibitive.
However, the local Educational Service Center offered to host a videoconference workshop
with the NWREL trainer. Dearfield was able to train grade level Writing Mentors who could
then coach and support their grade level colleagues.

Links and Resources:
Murphy, Carlene U.; “Study Groups’: Journal
of Staff Development, Summer 1999, pp. 4951. Online at:
/>
Another professional development need identified was learning to gather, organize, and
analyze student learning data. The school’s principal was proficient with spreadsheets and,
as a result of her participation in IndianaNEXT, she knew how to disaggregate and display
data for analysis by the study group. As she facilitated discussions about the current reality
of student performance and the diagnostic data from grade level tests, teachers were able to
apply what they learned directly to their classroom practice. Many held conferences with
their students to set individual and class goals.
By the end of the first school year, faculty, parents, and students were aware of current
performance strengths and areas that needed improvement. The study group used the
student learning data to refine and revise their professional development program. Dearfield
School was well on its way to reaching its school improvement goals.

Indiana Department of Education
Scenario:
After analyzing student performance data, the Beaver Trail Middle School improvement committee

Fall 2001

Train the Trainer:

Train the Trainer programs can increase the size and
capacity of the local expert pool. An expert, either
inside or outside the school, conducts a training
program on-site, or trainers are sent off-site to a
workshop. After initial training and follow-up, the
trainers conduct training for others at the school,
providing local support and collegiality for their
learners.
Often, trainers are selected based on their particular
interests, skills or knowledge in the areas where
training is needed. Teacher-leaders, other staff,
parents, or even students may be trainers. Identifying
suitable trainers is important to successful
implementation of this professional development
method, as is a sound plan for implementation and
support of the program. Trainers must have enough
quality training to feel comfortable teaching others.
Understanding the foundation and theory of the
training content is also essential; trainers must do
more than simply mimic their own trainer’s methods.
Effective trainers must have knowledge and
confidence in their abilities in order to tailor their
training to their learners’ needs.

Indiana Department of Education

Why use Train the Trainer?

Train the Trainer programs are usually implemented in response to a need for more
local experts. A bi-product of successfully implemented programs is increased
confidence and self-esteem among trainers as well as a higher level of confidence
in the school as an organization capable of continuous improvement.
Ideally, everyone in the school plays the role of trainer and trainee at various times.
In an environment of continuous learning, this happens rather naturally. As
particular individuals learn skills or gains insights, they find effective ways to share
this knowledge with colleagues. Because teaching a skill also enhances the
learning of it, it is wise to rotate trainers yearly, giving more people the opportunity
to deepen their learning by teaching others.

Train the Trainer works when…
The culture of the school supports and rewards learning at all levels
Resources are available not only for bringing in outside experts or sending
trainers to workshops, but also for trainer preparation and the modification
of materials and processes
Administrators are familiar with and aggressively support trainer work
Adequate support materials are provided

Technology and Train the Trainer programs:
Technology training lends itself very well to this model; no one person can be an
expert in all areas of technology. Two or three teachers may become Excel or
spreadsheet experts; two or three other teachers may become Internet experts. Still
others may have become proficient in the manipulation of digital images.
Technology is also an area where students and community members can be utilized
for their expertise. In many cases, technology can be employed as a means of
learning the skills themselves. There are many tutorials on the Internet and
teachers whose learning styles may be suited to that delivery method. It is
important not to overlook web-based classes or interactive videos as possible ways
for trainers to gain expertise.

Fall 2001


Scenario:
One element of Lakeview Academy’s school improvement plan focused on helping students
develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. A number of teachers attended workshops
on teaching problem-solving strategies and critical thinking skills, but no one believed that the
skills had been integrated into traditional content courses in any organized or comprehensive
way. Teacher survey results confirmed this belief. After some discussion, it was decided that
using technology to collect, analyze, and present data would be vital for accomplishing the
school’s 21st century improvement goals.
A core group of teachers was organized to plan an approach for resolving these issues. The
group identified a series of workshops offered by a regional service center that could form the
foundation for a Train the Trainer model of professional development. The workshops used
several specific software applications to work with data; many of these uses incorporated math
and science standards. Workshop volunteers were recruited from the faculty and selected in
such a way as to represent various faculty groups. They attended the series (one workshop
each month for three months) and completed the assignments, including the use of the skills
and applications in their own classrooms.
After the last workshop, the group met with Lakeview’s professional development coordinator
to plan the best methods and timeframe for training other faculty members. They worked
together to select and modify the materials they received at the workshops, and the
professional development coordinator made suggestions and helped identify additional
resources. The principal attended one of the meetings to learn about the plan and identified
ways she could support it. The group created a discussion forum to keep everyone informed
and involved in the planning. They continued to use the forum during the implementation phase
to ask questions and offer suggestions.

Hints for successful Train the

Trainer programs:
Pre-plan for implementation, but be
prepared to modify the plan with the
help of trainers after they have received
their own training.
Involve building administrators in the
training and practice
Initially, select trainers who are
respected leaders with good
communication skills. After the model
takes root, broaden the choice of
trainers

Links and Resources:
Showers, Joyce, and Bennet: Planning an
Effective Training Event, 1997:
/>
In the end, each trainer worked with five or six other teachers over several months of training sessions.
A couple of groups migrated to a peer-coaching model after the training sessions were completed. This
provided continuity and a support system for refining the processes as teachers worked with students.
One group decided to use students as technology coaches for those teachers who needed additional
training and support. The students used online tutorials and application help menus to add to their own
knowledge, as well as to refine their problem-solving and critical thinking skills in the process of
training.

Indiana Department of Education

Fall 2001

Workshops:
Workshops are such a widely used professional
development strategy that ‘workshop’ and ‘staff
development’ are used almost synonymously. In a
typical workshop, a presenter determines the
content, shares expertise, and manages the flow of
the session. Common workshop goals involve
increasing participants’ awareness, knowledge, and
skills. Workshop presentations and activities focus on
training teachers in strategies, techniques, and skills
that are considered effective and worth replicating.
Researchers have found that one-shot workshops
have little effect on teachers’ classroom practice, and
over-use of these workshops has resulted in a
negative attitude toward them. It is more effective to
offer a series of workshops one to two weeks apart.
When workshops have ongoing follow-up support,
teachers can more ably apply the knowledge, ideas,
and skills they gain in their workshops to their
classroom practice. Another way to increase the
effectiveness of workshops is to involve teachers in
their planning and design. With strategic selection
and careful planning and design, workshops can be a
cost-effective way to provide quality professional
development opportunities to a large number of
educators.

Indiana Department of Education

Why use workshops?

Workshops can provide cost-effective training for many teachers, so they are a
good choice when school- or district-wide dissemination of strategies and skills is
needed (e.g., implementation of a student management system, textbook adoption,
even an instructional strategy such as a Socratic seminar). Workshops can help
teachers and administrators develop a common understanding of instructional
strategies, skills, and their underlying philosophies and beliefs. Although it may not
be possible to offer large workshops during the school day, follow-up activities can
be embedded through modeling, coaching, and peer observation with feedback.
Incorporating this type of professional learning into teachers’ daily practice helps
develop a culture of professionalism and collegiality.

Workshops work when…
They’re offered in a series over time
There is follow-up support such as modeling, coaching, and peer
observation with feedback
Their goal is increasing awareness, knowledge, and skills
Teachers are involved in their planning and design
There is access to a presenter or trainer with expertise
Many teachers need the same knowledge or skills

Technology and workshops:
Most professional development for technology has been offered in workshops, a
strategy that may still be a good choice when the goal is basic skill development. An
alternative approach is to incorporate the use of technology tools into workshops
that are focused on best learning practices (e.g., using Geometric Supposer
software in a mathematics workshop). Technology can also expand workshop
activities; using videoconferencing to allow participants to observe a model lesson
or to provide participants with access to an expert presenter in a distant location is
just one example.

Fall 2001


Scenario:
John Davis High School and State University’s School of Science decided to offer a series of
workshops that would help teachers plan and implement more authentic learning opportunities
for high school science students.
During the summer, a team of high school teachers representing the various science courses
spent three weeks in an intensive workshop at State University. As part of a university research
project, the team learned about designing ‘real life’ research projects; using probes and sensors
to gather data and spreadsheets to analyze and report the data; and using software modeling
and simulation programs. At the end of the third week, teachers and scientists brainstormed
ideas for a series of workshops to be held at John Davis High School during the next school
year. The high school team offered to serve as peer coaches for their colleagues to provide
follow-up support for these workshops.
The first fall workshop, an awareness session conducted by two university scientists, included all
high school science teachers. This session was held at John Davis High School on the first PBA
in-service day. Over the next several weeks, a series of mini-workshops were offered via
videoconferencing during prep periods. The science department decided to set aside time during
every department meeting so that teachers could share success stories, get help with problem
solving, and receive updates from the coaching team. At first, teachers grumbled about using
prep time to participate in videoconference workshops, but complaints diminished once the
teachers recognized how much these sessions helped them plan and implement the kind of
instructional activities that resulted in increased student motivation and learning.
Students became partners with the teachers and scientists as they explored new strategies and
technology tools. Excited about being part of ‘real’ research, many students did extra reading
and Internet research on their own. Students eagerly participated in videoconferences with
university scientists and used e-mail to share data and discuss questions and findings with them.
Teachers incorporated ideas from students’ reflections and suggestions into classroom activities,
thus increasing students’ ownership and responsibility for their own learning.

By the end of the year, the teachers and students in John Davis High School’s science
department had become collaborative partners with the State University scientists in a virtual
learning community.

Indiana Department of Education

Hints for successful workshops:
Involve teachers in workshop
planning
Identify the student learning results
that are linked to professional
development goals
Identify expected workshop outcomes
and communicate them clearly to all
participants
Consider participants’ preferences
and needs when scheduling
workshop times and locations
Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up!
Links and Resources:
Involving Others in Organizing
Professional Development:
/>NSDC articles on workshop learning:
/>Teachers Who Learn: Kids Who Achieve,
WestEd:
/>Justice and Jamieson, The Facilitator’s
Fieldbook, American Management
Association International:

Fall 2001