Collaborative Professional Development Research Articles

Reflections on infusing evidenced-based inclusion practices in early childhood community college programs through a collaborative professional development model

ABSTRACTInclusion means that students with disabilities have access to high-quality and effective instruction, as well as specialized services as needed, within least restrictive environments. We believe there are no limits on who can or should participate in and benefit from inclusion and we were interested in perceptions resulting from professional development designed to support including young children with disabilities in classrooms with their natural neighbors and peers. We present reflections from application of a community of practice model in which university-based faculty worked closely and collaboratively with community college instructors to infuse ideas, concepts, and content from the field of special education into associate degree early childhood education coursework.

Collaborative Professional Development Focused on Promoting Effective Implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards

The purpose of this study was to examine the design, implementation, and initial outcomes of a collaborative professional development program intended to prepare middle and high school educators to implement effectively the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in classrooms with diverse learners. The professional development program discussed herein was designed by a university in partnership with a local school district and incorporated key principles of effective professional development associated with promoting substantial changes in teacher knowledge and practice recommended in the research literature (Darling-Hammond et al., 2009; Guskey, 2002; Reiser, 2013). Topics covered in the professional development included NGSS practices and crosscutting concepts, Universal Design for Learning, and disciplinary literacy. Results suggest that the impact of this professional development program was positive. Feedback from participants was favorable and will be shared as well.

Collaborative teacher professional development in schools in England (UK) and Shanghai (China): cultures, contexts and tensions

ABSTRACTThis mixed method research explores the contexts, purposes, forms, practices, and effects of school provided collaborative professional development (PD) as experienced by teachers working in primary and secondary schools in England and Shanghai. The research is part of a larger partnership pilot study by the University of Nottingham and Shanghai Normal University, which focused on opportunities for and experiences of participation in formally organized professional development, using as a point of departure the findings of the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2013 report of teachers’ perceptions of their professional development. Given the differences between the two jurisdictions in their PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) rankings, and between national cultures, teacher expectations and conditions of work, professional development purposes, forms and practices in schools might be expected to differ. The research found that there was a similar emphasis in both jurisdictions upon ‘functional’ rather than ‘attitudinal’ oriented professional development, but that teachers in Shanghai schools experienced more of the latter than those in the English schools studied. Such differences in the relative emphasis between the two jurisdictions upon the ‘attitudinal’, challenge the benefits of focusing collaborative professional development primarily upon the ‘functional’ in English schools.

Supporting shifts in teachers’ views of a classroom statistical activity: problem context in teaching statistics

ABSTRACTWe report on five-year professional development collaboration with a group of middle-school mathematics teachers during which their views of what constitutes a productive classroom statistical activity changed. The teachers’ statistics instruction was initially typical in the US context and focused on producing calculations and following conventions for making graphs. In contrast, towards the end of the collaboration, teachers routinely planned statistical activities in which the generation and analysis of data was driven by a need to gain insight into a specific problem at hand. We document the changes in teachers’ views of a productive classroom statistical activity and the means by which these changes were supported. In doing so, we highlight how explorations of the role of problem context in statistics provided a productive professional development focus, where teachers both built on their existing practices, and tested, in their classrooms, ideas that were novel or incongruent with their prior experiences.

Exploring the teaching of culture in the foreign language classroom within the context of collaborative professional development: a critical participatory action research study

ABSTRACT This article describes the experience of French language teachers as they explored interculturality within a collaborative professional development environment. Participants studied how to design culture lessons for their classrooms through the lens of Intercultural Communicative Competence with the support of theoretical frameworks for intercultural learning. The findings underscore a need for teacher professional development that creates space for teachers to explore topics of interest in an in-depth and collaborative manner, that makes time for exploration of theoretical frameworks, and that models practical strategies for embedding interculturality in curricula. Furthermore, this study reveals that explicit examples of intercultural lessons taught while using the target language are needed in order for language teachers to gain confidence in this area.

Sustainability of Cooperative Professional Development: Focused on Teachers’ Efficacy

In this study, we aim to gain critical insights into how cooperative professional development affects teachers’ efficacy. To this end, the purpose of this study is to identify cooperative professional development types (CPD-type) and to reveal the relationship between CPD-type and teachers’ efficacy in Korean middle schools, controlling for gender, age, years of experience and school climate. The data of this study are derived from the 2013 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) conducted by the OECD. The K-mean cluster analysis was used to identify distinct clusters of middle school teachers based on CPD. This process identified four specific groups: the disengaged group (36.8%), the collaborative group (11.3%), the activity-focused group (24.8%), and the coordinative group (27.1%). Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that all dummy variables of CPD-type were statistically significant, controlling for gender, age, years of experience, and school climate. Comparing the relative importance of each variable on teachers’ efficacy, the CPD1 (1 = the collaborative group) variable was most important. The results of this study provide a rationale for teachers to participate in collaborative professional development actively.

The Importance of CPD of in-service EFL Teachers in Indonesia: Suggestions for Collaborative Professional Development

This essay aims to explore the need of in-service teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Indonesia to pursue Continuing Professional Development (CPD) by explaining what this means for the teachers and including some perspectives, types, and implementation of CPD. Based on some explorations of related literature reviews, my reflections on teaching practice, and some recent issues concerning Teacher Development (TD) in Indonesia, some suggestions for collaborative Professional Development (PD) is offered. As the result, this essay outlines the advantages of implementing collaborative PD to fulfil the needs of in-service TEFL in Indonesia, which could be acquired through mentoring as one way to pursue CPD. Based on related literature review, this essay will give suggestions on applying collaborative PD through mentoring which, it will be argued, can generate positive impacts for in-service TEFL in Indonesia. By mentoring, teachers may have opportunities to do self-reflection, appreciate their achievements, have some correction on their practices, and learn from others’ practices as well as help one another. It is hoped that this essay may give useful information and knowledge for teachers, teacher educators, trainers, and governments about the needs of CPD and why implementation of collaborative PD through mentoring in Indonesia is recommended. For further research, this essay may contribute to some extension of related studies or suggestions from other teachers or researchers based on their experiences and perspectives of pursuing CPD through collaborative PD.

Understanding Quality Work in Mathematics: Supporting Teachers in Leading Professional Development

Teacher leaders are often responsible for providing professional development to improve teacher effectiveness and student learning. Leading professional development for teachers can be highly effective when the focus is on student learning in on-going and relevant contexts. This article describes a school-based, teacher-led collaborative process conceptualized and facilitated by two teacher leaders using a modified protocol for examining students work in mathematics. The focus of the professional development aligned with a school-wide initiative of increasing the quality of students’ mathematical work across a kindergarten through eighth-grade school. This paper shares the structure of the professional development, the nature of the protocol, and how it was implemented followed by a discussion for teacher leaders who are interested in facilitating a similar type of collaborative professional development experience within their own schools. Findings suggest that the use of a well-developed protocol helped focus teachers’ attention to specific attributes expected in quality work and served as a reference point for considering how important structures of learning such as whole-class discourse could be evident in individual students’ quality work.

Collaborative professional development and curriculum implementation: insights from program evaluation

In its recent Communication, the European Commission calls for greater use of collaborative professional development for teachers in member states (European Commission 2017a). Although peer collaboration is gaining ground, it has not yet become the norm across Europe. Undoubtedly, different kinds of continuing professional development (CPD) are more conducive than others for being collaborative. However, if the intention is to develop teacher collaboration in their routine work, then it makes sense that, where appropriate, the CPD provided should also be collaborative. A form of CPD that is relevant for all countries is the kind offered by external coaches visiting schools to support curriculum reform. This article examines the lessons that can be learned from an evaluation of such a national program of CPD in Ireland. While there were various organizational issues that impeded the nature and extent of teacher collaboration in the CPD, it is argued that the external coach played an important role in creating the conditions for collaborative practices among the teachers later on, including peer coaching. This can then support the cultivation of a culture of ‘collaborative professionalism’ in schools, as opposed to simply ‘professional collaboration’ (Hargreaves, O’Connor 2017).

Lesson study: an exploration of its translation beyond Japan

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the popularity of Japanese lesson study (JLS) beyond Japan and the challenges this translation might pose. It notes that there is not a universally accepted definition of lesson study (LS) and seeks to identify the “critical components” of JLS through a review of the literature. It then uses a systematic literature review of recent studies of the implementation of LS with in-service teachers beyond Japan to analyse the models of LS used against these seven critical components in order to explore the degree of fidelity to the Japanese model.Design/methodology/approachA broad review of the literature on JLS available in the English language identifies seven “critical components”. A systematic literature review of 200 recent English language studies of the implementation of LS with in-service teachers beyond Japan is then carried out. Articles published between 2005 and 2015 are explored, including peer reviewed articles, scientific journals, book chapters and PhD dissertations. This systematic review enables an analysis of the models of LS used in studies from beyond Japan against the “seven critical components” of JLS.FindingsThe analysis shows that there is not an internationally shared understanding of Japanese lesson study (JLS) and that many of the missing components are those which distinguish LS as a research process, not simply a collaborative professional development approach. It also reveals that UK LS models seem particularly far from the Japanese model in those critical components which connect teachers’ knowledge and understanding within groups, to knowledge and understanding that exists beyond it. The study discusses whether these differences could be attributed to structural or cultural differences between Japan and other nations.Research limitations/implicationsThe search for descriptions of the JLS is limited to articles available in the English language, which, therefore, represent a quite limited body of authority on the “critical components” of LS. The systematic review is similarly limited to English language articles, and there is a clear bias towards the USA, with the Far East and the UK making up the majority of the remaining studies. The study suggests that future research on LS beyond Japan should consider teachers’ attitudes towards the research elements of the process as well as their skills and confidence in carrying out research into practice.Practical implicationsThe study strikes a note of caution for schools wishing to implement JLS as an approach to teacher professional development in the UK and beyond. Japan’s systemic approach has embedded LS experience and expertise into the education system, meaning a uniform approach to LS is much more likely. In addition, other systemic challenges may arise, for example, UK professional development time and resources is not designed with JLS in mind and may therefore require a significant reworking.Originality/valueWhilst several systematic reviews of LS have explored its growth, geographical spread, impact and key features, this study provides a different perspective. It analyses whether and to what degree the “lesson study” models these studies describe align with the literature on JLS, and the implications of this for researchers and practitioners.

Collaborative Impact and Professional Development: Effective Student Services for Immigrant Populations Amid Growing Inequality

ABSTRACTSan José, California, represents a tale of two cities where the immense wealth and vitality of the technology sector has not transferred to the social sector. A growing immigrant population, including undocumented students and their families, relies on an education system statewide which now structures alignment between Adult Education and California community colleges. The San José Evergreen Community College District is growing its capacity to serve this population by implementing both required and elective collaborative change initiatives including a required consortium of five adult schools and four community colleges, and elective initiatives such as SparkPoint San José and ALLIES (featuring the Immigrant Integration Framework). In addition, a new Student Services Academy, a professional development program for staff in Student Services, increases skill and cultural responsiveness. Building educational capacity amid growing inequality strengthens institutional effectiveness, promotes economic mobility in marginalized communities, and prepares a skilled workforce for a globally competitive Silicon Valley.

Collectively Improving Our Teaching: Attempting Biology Department-wide Professional Development in Scientific Teaching.

Many efforts to improve science teaching in higher education focus on a few faculty members at an institution at a time, with limited published evidence on attempts to engage faculty across entire departments. We created a long-term, department-wide collaborative professional development program, Biology Faculty Explorations in Scientific Teaching (Biology FEST). Across 3 years of Biology FEST, 89% of the department's faculty completed a weeklong scientific teaching institute, and 83% of eligible instructors participated in additional semester-long follow-up programs. A semester after institute completion, the majority of Biology FEST alumni reported adding active learning to their courses. These instructor self-reports were corroborated by audio analysis of classroom noise and surveys of students in biology courses on the frequency of active-learning techniques used in classes taught by Biology FEST alumni and nonalumni. Three years after Biology FEST launched, faculty participants overwhelmingly reported that their teaching was positively affected. Unexpectedly, most respondents also believed that they had improved relationships with departmental colleagues and felt a greater sense of belonging to the department. Overall, our results indicate that biology department-wide collaborative efforts to develop scientific teaching skills can indeed attract large numbers of faculty, spark widespread change in teaching practices, and improve departmental relations.

Mesleki Gelişimde İşbirliğine Dayalı Bir Yaklaşım: Ders Araştırması

Research has shown that traditional teacher education practices, which have been carrying out in the form of seminars, are inadequate in contributing to the professional development of teachers. Currently, in line with the modern approaches of learning (e.g. social constructivist, socio-cultural approach) that emphasize the social and contextual aspects of learning, there is a growing demand on collaborative professional development models. These models have begun to be employed in many countries’ teacher education systems. Lesson study, which was developed in Japan, is one of the collaborative professional development models that commonly employed in many countries. The aim of this study is to introduce this model that has been quite new and different for Turkish teacher education system. For this purpose, basic concepts, objectives, types of implications, and processes of lesson study have been presented.

The many faces of lesson study and learning study

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a review of the contributions to the current issue.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is intended to stimulate a discussion about the nature of lesson study (LS), its use in initial teacher education (ITE) and the role of learning theory in the design of the research lesson.FindingsThe term LS was first used to describe a Japanese LS. It was seen as career-long teacher-initiated collaborative professional development through which teachers researched lesson designs to teach problem-solving and develop independent thinking skills in their students. As it has been adopted across the world, it has been adapted. This raises questions about the form and effect of LS in its various forms, about the role of learning theory in the design of research lessons and about the appropriateness of introducing LS in programmes of ITE.Originality/valueThis editorial review provides an overview of the insights and issues identified by the authors in this issue of the journal.

A Systematic Review of Empirically Based Universal Design for Learning: Implementation and Effectiveness of Universal Design in Education for Students with and without Disabilities at the Postsecondary Level

This systematic review explored methods of UDL implementation for postsecondary students with and without disabilities and the degree to which these methods are effective. The authors examined 17 empirically based studies published across 12 journals focused on the application of UDL principles. The studies were analyzed with regard to 1) participant information, 2) courses and delivery mode, 3) independent and dependent variables, 4) implementation strategies, and 5) effectiveness of implementation. The analysis revealed that 15 of the studies reported effective outcomes, one study resulted in blended effects, and one did not discuss implementation. Two studies used a blended delivery mode for special education courses, and four studies used online delivery modes for a teacher education course and three professional development programs. Other studies used face-to-face instruction for teacher education, general courses, and workshops. The most common independent variables were UDL principle-based course design and implementation, followed by hands-on activities, training of instructors, peer-led team learning, and a collaborative professional development model. The dependent variables included course evaluation, learning outcomes, such as revision of lesson plans and technology use, and level of confidence or acquisition of knowledge about UDL and disabilities. Finally, multiple instructional strategies focusing on the UDL principles were utilized, to include web-based computer-mediated communication, web-based class management systems, interactions with technology and other participants, and learning community. Overall, the findings revealed promising learning outcomes as supported by the existing literature regarding the effectiveness and practicality of UDL for students with and without disabilities at the postsecondary level.

School-to-School (STS) Partnership Towards Sustainable and Transformative Development of Schools Network in Cagayan de Oro City

This study was conducted in pursuit of determining the level of technical assistance provided by the schools’ division office (SDO), lessons learned, and challenges in the full implementation of school-to-school partnership (STS). The study was descriptive in nature involving both qualitative and quantitative analyses. Purposive sampling was employed in identifying both leader and partner school-heads. This study used self-made instrument in which items were taken from the provisions reflected in the issuance under the STS partnership. The instrument was validated by the experts with the STS focal person. Findings revealed that both leader and partner school-heads rated very much evident as to the technical assistance provided by the SDO. There was no significant difference between the respondents’ perceptions on the level of technical assistance when grouped by type of recipient schools. Innovations were observed during the implementation of STS partnership such as mentoring, sharing of best practices, development and production of IMs, and conduct of LAC sessions. Additionally, there were lessons learned along the STS journey, namely, strengths and weaknesses identification, values of cooperation and teamwork, and sharing of knowledge and best practices. However, challenges were encountered such as limited time of implementation, distance of the leader school from the partner school, overlapping schedules, and inferiority of leader school to the partner school. STS promotes social trust, awareness, and understanding with other schools. Technical assistance from SDO plays a vital role in achieving success. It creates an avenue for the leader schools to share best practices and resources to their partner schools, thereby, creating an atmosphere of collaborative professional development strategies and activities. It is recommended that the identification of the leader schools could be division-based, not central-based considering that the division personnel knew better their context, especially on the characteristics of the low and high performing schools both access and quality.

Investigating the building of a WeChat-based community of practice for language teachers’ professional development

ABSTRACTThis study explores the process of Community of Practice (CoP) building for language teachers’ professional development through the support of a WeChat group. WeChat is an instant messenger app that provides a multimodal platform for one-on-one and group interactions through text, audio and video. In order to support the implementation of flipped classrooms in a Chinese programme offered in an Australian university, a teachers’ chat group was created on WeChat for just-in-time and collaborative professional development. This qualitative study focuses on three dimensions in the CoP, namely, mutual engagement, a joint enterprise, and a shared repertoire to examine how these Chinese teachers worked together to form their own CoP in their WeChat group. Qualitative data were collected through group chat interactions on WeChat, teacher reflective journals and a focus group discussion through audio conferencing on WeChat. Discussions of the strategies and challenges involved in the building of an active and sustainable online CoP through social media contribute to our understanding of professional development in a digital age.

The Cross-School Teacher Team as a Site for Learning

ABSTRACTIn policy and in initiatives from the Swedish National Agency for Education for enhancing professional development, there is currently a strong emphasis on teachers´ collaborative professional development. As previous research suggests that teachers may need to engage in various types of collaboration for learning, extended knowledge on different teacher teams for collaboration is needed. In this study, a Cross-School Teacher Team (CSTT) of teachers who shared pedagogical interests but worked in different municipalities was followed through observations, interviews, text-collections of logbook-reflections and digital communication. To examine what constitutes the CSTT as a site for learning and how this is shaped by as well as shaping the enabling and constraining arrangements, the empirical material was analysed through the lens of the theory of practice architectures. The results show how a CSTT can provide a complement to local teams for work integrated learning through diverse perspectives, a shared focus on specific and professional issues and a safe space for sharing and reflection. Internal and external transparency worked as a catalyst both for processes of reflection and transformation of local arrangements and practices. Knowledge of the practice architectures of the CSTT offer tools to elaborate upon alternative or complementary spaces for collaboration

Breaking barriers: Research-based collaborative professional development between in-service teachers and university researchers

In the Philippines, the recent curriculum reform has impelled the attention of various education sectors for teacher professional development (PD). The purpose of this qualitative this study is to assess the impact of a year-long research-based collaborative PD of 30 elementary school science teachers with university science education researchers. The PD activity followed the lesson study model which features collaboration and reflection. Data were obtained from audio and video-taped transcripts and formal interview. The constant comparison method was used to analyze and formulate themes from the data transcripts.Reliability of codes was ensured using the Cohen inter-rater reliability analysis with an acceptable value of 0.734. Results revealthat a change in the teachers’ professional culture was the main impact of study which encompasses collaboration, teachers’ practices focused on student learning, continuous teacher learning and reflective practice. Keywords: Classroom-based research; collaboration; lesson study, professional development; professional learning.

Challenging Inquiry and Building Community: Analyzing ESL and Bilingual Teachers’ Narratives

ABSTRACTThe study explores English as a second language (ESL) and bilingual teachers’ narratives within a learning community as they collectively engage in reflecting on practices to more effectively support English learners. This longitudinal qualitative study integrates narrative inquiry approach and critical incident methodology. Participants were seven ESL and bilingual teachers involved in a collaborative professional development project. First, the study explores a critical incident around defining inquiry-based instruction in the ESL/bilingual classroom illustrating the productive role of conflict and contrasting perspectives on inquiry to collectively construct knowledge amidst a learning community. Second, the study shows the possibilities of team teaching as a productive space for reflection on practice and a key element of ESL/bilingual learning communities. Ultimately, the study contributes to the understanding of teacher professional learning communities as a place and a process in which teachers are active agents of their development, collectively and individually inquiring about students’ needs, and generating new practices.