Examining How Learner-Centered Professional Development Influences Teachers’ Espoused and Enacted Practices

Abstract

ABSTRACT Prior professional development studies have identified discrepancies between what teachers’ report (espoused practices) and demonstrate (enacted practices) during classroom teaching. This has proven particularly evident in studies examining classroom implementation of standards-based practices such as learner-centered instruction. The authors examined the enacted and espoused practices of 2 elementary school teachers during a yearlong professional development project focusing on supporting implementation of learner-centered pedagogies in their classrooms. The convergence of video analysis of classroom teaching evidence and teacher interviews confirm little alignment between participants’ espoused and enacted practices. However, enacted teaching practices became increasingly consistent with learner-centered professional development practices when adopting a project activity or coplanning the lesson with an experienced professional developer. Implications for the design and research of learner-centered professional development are provided.