Practice-Based Professional Development Daniel C. Edelson GEODE Initiative School of Education and Social Policy Northwestern University

Background Systemic science education reform Curriculum design & implementation Curriculum design & implementation Professional development design and implementation Professional development design and implementation Organization and leadership development design and implementation Organization and leadership development design and implementation “Design and implementation” = engineering approach to research

Context Environmental and Earth system science education Project-based Project-based Integrated science content and practices Integrated science content and practices Use of technology to support inquiry (e.g., GIS) Use of technology to support inquiry (e.g., GIS) Urban and National High school, middle school (and postsecondary) High school, middle school (and postsecondary) Center for Learning Technologies in Urban Schools Center for Learning Technologies in Urban Schools Chicago High School Transformation Project Chicago High School Transformation Project GEODE Initiative GEODE Initiative

Commitments Professional development must be directly linked to the work of teaching. In our case that means a specific curriculum they are using. In our case that means a specific curriculum they are using. Should address both the big ideas that teachers need and the daily challenges they face. E.g., both why technology matters and how to manage technology activities in different facilities. E.g., both why technology matters and how to manage technology activities in different facilities. Based on an understanding of the teacher population and its needs, especially career stage. E.g., differentiated for new teachers and experienced E.g., differentiated for new teachers and experienced

Commitments, cont’d. Must be designed with a clear set of learning goals and a process for maintaining alignment between the design and the goals We use an amalgam of backwards design and traditional instructional design approaches to the process. We use an amalgam of backwards design and traditional instructional design approaches to the process. Must be designed using a research-based learning model. We use the same “Learning-for-Use” learning cycle model that we use for student materials We use the same “Learning-for-Use” learning cycle model that we use for student materials Motivate teachers based on clear usefulness of what they are learning.Motivate teachers based on clear usefulness of what they are learning. Construct knowledge through a variety of direct and indirect experiences.Construct knowledge through a variety of direct and indirect experiences. Reflect on what they are learning.Reflect on what they are learning. Apply what they are learning by doing the work of the teaching as part of the professional development.Apply what they are learning by doing the work of the teaching as part of the professional development.

What does this look like? Teachers do the activities from the curriculum (role-play student) Teachers observe students and teachers Teachers reflect on the learning challenges for their students Teachers plan for implementation within the PD Teachers role-play teaching Teachers reflect Teachers interact with each other and with PD facilitators/coaches on an ongoing basis during the implementation.

Impact of Online Professional Development (IOPD) Project Study funded by NSF Teacher Professional Continuum (TPC) Program Randomized trial (48 hours of PD) All: 2-day summer orientation All: 2-day summer orientation Face-to-face: 4-day summer workshop Face-to-face: 4-day summer workshop Moderated online: 2-day summer orientation + moderated online workshops with faclitator encouragement and feedback Moderated online: 2-day summer orientation + moderated online workshops with faclitator encouragement and feedback Unmoderated online: 2-day summer orientation + moderated online workshops Unmoderated online: 2-day summer orientation + moderated online workshops Outcome measures: Teacher attitudes (self-report), content (assessed), teaching practices (self-report and sampled observations) Teacher attitudes (self-report), content (assessed), teaching practices (self-report and sampled observations) Student learning and attitude outcomes Student learning and attitude outcomes

Thinking About Online PD Is online a challenge or an opportunity?

O: Proximal to teaching O: Ongoing C: Limits of medium for social interaction C: Invisibility of others O: Persistence of PD and products. O: Unique capabilities of technology for learning interactions O: Cheap to implement at large scale or across geographic distance C: Expensive to create ($$ and expertise) O: Compatible with teachers’ schedules C: Competes with other teacher commitments C: Not a captive audience

What will we find? 1.Design and implementation of online PD is hard (harder?). 2.Outcomes? Stay tuned…Stay tuned… The GEODE Initiative This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants No. ESI , ESI , ESI , REC Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.