Whether called “professional development” or “professional learning” do the activities actually support participants’ professional development, their professional learning that translates to stronger experiences for their learners? What does forward professionals’ development and learning – in addition to their own work experiences, their thoughtful reflections on them, and their desire and actions for ongoing enhancement?
As with any learning and any learner, there is no one right way. Different formats meet different educators’ learning style preferences. In addition, people’s preferences and needs can change depending on their background knowledge and experience in the subject matter, based on the topic, and depending on how the topic fits into an educator’s practice.
For example, a former problem-based learning workshop participant was highly grateful for our two-day workshop, which was hands-on, participant-centered, with participants engaging in inquiry and in which she designed curriculum and left with a high quality problem-based and project-based learning unit for her students.
Yet, she was appreciative of a one-hour workshop offered by another organization where, by listening to presenters and watching their slides, she solidified technical knowledge of media she planned to use with her students.That is the professional development support she needed and wanted at that time, for that topic.
What Works?
With that said, effective professional development activities that generally are most helpful in translating to positive effects for students do share characteristics. First of all, professional development activities are far more effective when they connect with what educators are interested in and want to learn or strengthen.
A workshop or other kind of professional development activity should model what is being advocated. For example, if you want participants to facilitate effective collaboration for their students, have participants collaborate with each other and provide structures and scaffolds known to support strong collaboration.
Providing varied kinds of professional development activities provides affirmation of professional learning preferences and potential stretching to enjoy other ways of expanding professional learning. For example, a school, district, or college could offer book studies, peer coaching, connecting with instructional coach, workshops at the site and outside the site, workshops facilitated by peers including showcasing outstanding teaching (which is present within every school and college/university), individuals and groups conducting action research on their practices, graduate courses, independent studies, and professional learning groups.
Even within one workshop or other kind of format, plan a diversity of approaches tapping into a variety of professional learning preferences. For example, include rote learning (could be through fun activities), participants’ reflections and analysis, creativity, individual work, collaboration, and choice.
Implementation Support
Adults want and need to try out new professional learning, in order to solidify it. During a workshop, include enactment. Support back in their classroom (or in the case of administrators or those in other roles, at their workplace) during implementation is imperative to solidify new strategies. Peer support can be especially helpful. It is peers that many professionals favor for ongoing support, along with readings and other resources.
Workshops can offer ongoing access to the facilitator and workshop peers, and a follow-up reunion. If the school principal, an onsite instructional coach or other supervisor has participated in the same workshop as the other participants or if they themselves have facilitated the professional learning, certainly they would be well positioned to offer ongoing support.