These workshop materials provide ideas, focus questions and information that can be used to promote individual, group and whole school community discussion and planning for effective professional learning. The modules could be used in stage and faculty teams, staff meetings and parent workshops.

Title

The key elements of effective professional learning

Purpose

This workshop is designed to promote discussion and reflection on professional learning and the strategies that result in change in teaching practices.

Outcomes

This workshop will enable participants to participate constructively in professional discussions with colleagues to:

• identify the characteristics of effective professional learning
• examine the links between teacher learning and student learning.

Workshop materials

• PowerPoint presentation
  Video excerpts are embedded in the PowerPoint presentation
• Handout 1: Observations
• Handout 2: Key messages identified by teachers
• Professional Learning and Leadership Development Directorate: Action Research in Education (optional)
  https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/proflearn/research/actres.htm

Related materials/readings

• Report: Aligning Quality Teaching and Assessment: a model
  for evaluating professional learning in an action learning project.
  The report provides valuable background information for the
  workshops.
• Guskey, T (2000). Evaluating Professional Development. Thousand
  Oaks, Corwin Press.
• The paper, A Conversation with Thomas R. Guskey at
  http://www.hfrp.org/evaluation/the-evaluation-exchange/issue-archive/professional-development/a-conversation-with-thomas-r.-guskey
  provides background information to the structure of the report

Facilitator’s notes

It is recommended that facilitators read the report and view the entire resource prior to the workshops.

All handouts should be prepared prior to delivering the workshop.

Duration

1 hour

• Slide 1: Show title slide and provide brief background to the project. The report, Aligning quality teaching and assessment project: A model for evaluating professional learning in an action learning project provides valuable background information for this workshop.

• Slide 2: Discuss the purpose of the workshop.

• Slide 3: Discuss the workshop outcomes.

• Slide 4: Introduce Activity 1 and distribute Handout 1. Participants will use the handout to record their observations of the key messages.

• Slide 5: View video excerpts of teachers discussing their professional learning experiences.

• Slide 6: Facilitate the sharing and discussing activity.

• Slide 7: Facilitate the pairing and sharing activity.

• Distribute Handout 2.
  The facilitator leads discussion on the key messages and asks for responses from the pairing and sharing activity. Refer to the report and video excerpts to provide ideas on characteristics of effective professional learning.
• (Optional) Facilitators may choose to complement particular points relevant to the school’s and teachers’ professional learning experiences. For example, the facilitator may highlight action learning and refer participants to the resources available on the Professional Learning and Leadership Development Directorate website.

Download Handout 1 here
Download Handout 2 here