Linking effective professional learning with effective teaching practice

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One of the reasons for the poor linkage betweenprofessional learning and changed classroompractice is that often professional learning intentions,as documented in teachers’ professional learningplans, are described in generic terms – such as,to improve boys’ learning or to become better atpromoting cooperative learning. The more generic thedescription of a teacher’s professional learning needthe greater the likelihood that the teacher will havedifficulty identifying what to focus on first and whatprofessional learning activities they should participatein. However, this problem is significantly lessenedif the teacher’s learning intention is described withmore precision by wherever possible identifying aparticular teaching strategy they wish to implement ora particular teaching technique they wish to master.Teaching strategies and techniques which can relateto classroom instruction or classroom managementare sub-sets of teaching practiceThe difference between a teaching strategy andteaching technique is that a strategy is a generalisedapproach to problems and a way to inform decisions;whereas a technique is something you do or sayin a particular way. And because a technique is anaction, the more it is practiced the better the teachergets at performing it. By focusing on concrete actionsthat generally can be understood and implementedin a relatively short period, and then improved overtime, teaching capacity is built step by step and thearmoury of strategies and techniques available to theteacher is extended.Individual and group professional learning plansbecome highly effective tools for promoting teachercollaboration and classroom improvement when theyare practical, action oriented and contain specific ‘bitesized’ learning tasks that are to be completed withina 10 week timeframe. Such a professional learningplan would include the one or two research-basedteaching practices that the teacher wishes to acquireor refine; the research-based professional learningstrategies that the teacher plans to use to enablethem understand the teaching strategy or techniqueand how to apply it; and the timeline within whichthe new practice will become part of the teacher’sclassroom instruction.The adoption of a ‘bite-sized’ learning task meansthat it is not too time consuming to learn and nottoo daunting to implement in one’s classroom. Italso means that professional learning plans can beregularly renewed as learning tasks are translated inclassroom practice. In this way, teacher improvementis a continuous process of accumulating expertisein evidence-based instructional and studentmanagement strategies and techniques.When determining the teaching strategies andtechniques that the school will adopt as its preferredset of teaching practices, schools have turned to theadvice provided by education departments and tothe growing number of books on effective teachingthat have moved beyond describing what an effectiveteacher does to describing how to implement effectivepractices. Robert Marzano and Doug Lemov areamong the most prominent in the current collectionof authors 24 who have been successful in extractingfrom numerous research studies those teachingpractices that are most effective in promoting studentachievement.Marzano nominates nine general instructionalcategories and 34 specific behaviours and organisesthese strategies into a framework of effectiveinstructional design and Lemov nominates forty-nine‘essential techniques’ which can be mastered oneat a time and which operate in synergy to produceexceptional teaching. Many schools are using theseevidence-based, micro-teaching teaching strategiesand techniques as the content for their professionallearning plans.Teachers in these schools are assuming greatercontrol of their own professional learning by focusingon a couple of teaching strategies and techniquesat a time and conducting teacher-led professionallearning activities that introduce and then helpto improve the application of these practices inclassrooms across the school. These strategies andtechniques are also what teachers look for whenconducting instructional walk-throughs and classroomobservations.By doing this, schools are successfully linkingeffective professional learning practices with effectiveteaching practices and thereby optimising theeffectiveness of their professional learning.24 For example, Cleveland, 2011, Cole 2008, Hattie, 2008, Lemov, 2010, Lewis, 2011, Linan-Thompson and Vaughn, 2007, Marzano, 2001,2003 and 2007, Marzano et al, 2005, Munro, 2002, Petty, 2009, Rogers, 2011 and Tomlinson, 2001.16 Linking effective professional learning with effective teaching practice
ConclusionAn oft referred to rule of thumb about professionallearning is that the further way from the school andthe larger the professional learning event, the lesslikely that it will have an impact on the school. Whilstthis is generally the case, it is also the case that ifan individual is seeking to increase their knowledgeabout the topic being presented or to be stimulatedby new educational ideas, then a conference couldwell serve that purpose.Three additional rules of thumb to guide professionalpractice are that:• there are many options for acquiring educationknowledge but relatively few for learning how toimplement a teaching strategy or master a teachingtechnique• learning how to implement a teaching strategy ormaster a teaching technique is best done whenit is managed by the school and involves one’scolleagues• learning how to implement a teaching strategy ormaster a teaching technique is best done when thelearning task is concrete, specific and able to becompleted in a relatively short period of time.The National Professional Standards for Teacherscontains thirty-seven illustrations of the knowledge,practice and professional engagement thatcharacterise a highly accomplished teacher. A selectionof these statements has been provided in Box 8.Box 8: Characteristics of highly accomplished teachersHighly accomplished teachers:• select from a flexible and effective repertoire of teachingstrategies to suit the physical, social and intellectualdevelopment and characteristics of students (ProfessionalKnowledge – Standard 1)• support colleagues to plan and implement learning andteaching programs using contemporary knowledge andunderstanding of curriculum, assessment and reportingrequirements (Professional Knowledge – Standard 2)• model and share with colleagues a flexible repertoireof strategies for classroom management to ensureall students are engaged in purposeful activities(Professional Practice – Standard 3)• develop and share with colleagues a flexible repertoireof behaviour management strategies using expertknowledge and workplace experience (ProfessionalPractice – Standard 4)• work with colleagues to use data from internal andexternal student assessments for evaluating learningand teaching, identifying interventions and modifyingteaching practice (Professional Practice – Standard 5)• plan for professional learning by accessing andcritiquing relevant research, engage in high qualitytargeted opportunities to improve practice and offerquality placements for pre-service teachers whereapplicable (Professional Engagement – Standard 6)Linking effective professional learning with effective teaching practice17
Page 1 and 2: Linking effectiveprofessional learn
Page 3 and 4: ContentsIntroduction ..............
Page 5 and 6: What is the definition of effective
Page 7 and 8: What is the link between profession
Page 9 and 10: What are the characteristics of eff
Page 11 and 12: It should be noted that the items i
Page 13 and 14: In a school where practice is ‘de
Page 15 and 16: Schools committed to the developmen
Page 17: How can effective professional lear
Page 21 and 22: This approach tends to reshape the
Page 23 and 24: ReferencesAustralian Institute for
Page 26: aitsl.edu.auFurther informationTele

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