Implementing Interactive Professitonal Development In a Workshop Course on Educating Students with AD/HD

Abstract

Workshop courses are used frequently as a means of providing educators with knowledge and skills about current and controversial issues in the field. Research in professional development suggests that using interactive professional development that balances external and personal knowledge and takes into account teachers' attitudes, knowledge, and experiences is important when implementing such courses. Despite their frequent use, limited research has explored how these courses affect participants' knowledge, attitude, and perceived competence in educating students with AD/HD and what aspects participants view as valuable for professional growth. We explored this issue when 89 educators participated in a workshop course on educating students with AD/HD. Quantitative measures collected prior to and following the workshop indicate that educators demonstrated increased knowledge, positive attitudes, and perceived competence for educating students with AD/HD. Course evaluations, journals, and interviews provided information about aspects of the course viewed as valuable for professional growth. Implications for teacher education are discussed.