1. Learning Community Forum
Where are we headed and why?
Supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. EHR

2. 4 Guiding Questions What have we learned and why?
How does all that fit in with the idea of professional learning communities?
How can our learning communities focus on improving instruction?
How can we learn more through our K12- Higher education partnership?

3. Today Teacher Leader Development
Science Content Knowledge
Instructional Strategies
Leadership Practices
Professional Learning Community Development
Data Driven Planning
Building PLC’s

4. Process Rationale: What does research support?
Response: What strategies did NCOSP apply?
Evidence: What does the data say?
Personal Connection: How does that fit with my personal reflections?

5. Science Content Knowledge
Research
Why does science content knowledge matter?

6. Science Content Knowledge
Research
“It is a truism that teachers must know the content that they are to teach.”
Taking Science to School, NRC, 2006

7. Science Content Knowledge
Research
“Teacher knowledge influences instructional practice and, in particular, classroom discourse – an integral component of science learning environments – is sensitive to teachers’ knowledge of science.”
Taking Science to School, NRC, 2006

8. Science Content Knowledge
Research
"Teachers who know the content and how the content builds from understanding of many topics are better able to diagnose and address confusions. They know the next best question to ask when students are engaged in inquiry."
Keeley, P. Corwin, 2005

9. Science Content Knowledge
Research
“Higher levels of teacher subject matter knowledge contribute to higher student achievement.”
Taking Science to School, NRC, 2006

10. Science Content Knowledge
Research
“Teachers need opportunities to be involved in sustained learning, through teaching that models the methods that they are being urged to adopt.”
How People Learn, NRC,1999

11. Science Content Knowledge
Strategies
Summer Academy Content Immersions

12. TLs’ Science Content Knowledge
Data
* Denotes statistically significant increase from pre-test to post-test at p < 0.05
** Denotes statistically significant increase from pre-test to one-year follow-up at p <0.05

13. Science Content Knowledge
Reflection
1) Describe an example from one of the Summer Academies where you distinctly remember “learning” a new science concept.
2) Describe an example of where the content knowledge examined during one of the Summer Academies contributed to your teaching.
3) What strategies do you use to develop your content knowledge outside of formal courses and workshops?

14. Instruction
Research
What strategies support student learning?

15. Instruction
Research
“A critical feature of effective teaching is that it elicits from student their preexisting understanding of the subject matter and provides opportunities to build on – or challenge – the initial understanding.”
How People Learn, NRC, 1999

16. Instruction
Research
“Effective instruction helps students develop both a deep knowledge base and a conceptual framework for that knowledge.”
How People Learn, NRC, 1999

17. Instruction
Research
“Integration of metacognitive instruction with discipline-based learning can enhance student achievement and develop in students the ability to learn independently.”
How People Learn, NRC, 1999

18. Instruction Strategies
Modeling the incorporation of the three key findings from “How People Learn” in immersion experiences
Debriefing the use of those strategies
Whiteboarding, questioning strategies, inquiry boards, science notebooks, formative assessments, etc.

19. TLs’ Instructional Strategies and Metacognitive Skills
Data

20. Impact of NCOSP PD on TLs’ Classroom Practices
Data
N Response
2004 SA Impact Survey %
2005 SA Impact Survey %
98% reported “positive lasting effects”
87% and 89% felt “more confident teaching science”

21. Impact of NCOSP PD on TLs’ Classroom Practices
Data
By the spring of 2005…
84% had been working to identify students’ preconceptions and address students’ misconceptions in their classrooms
72% of teachers increased discussion and dialogue through questioning strategies to help reveal students’ thinking
“I experienced first-hand the difficulty of overcoming the misconceptions of oneself and others, and really appreciate the need to draw them out before trying to teach new content.” –Teacher Leader

22. Impact of NCOSP PD on TLs’ Classroom Practices
Data
Specific Instructional Strategies
Whiteboarding
Notebooking
“Science notebooking has made a world of difference in my ability to assess their prior knowledge, their current understanding and to integrate literacy and math instruction.” –Teacher Leader

23. Instruction Reflection
1) Describe how the recommendations from How People Learn influenced your thinking about teaching and learning?
2) Describe a specific instructional strategy you have incorporated into your teaching as a consequence of participating in NCOSP and how that practice has helped you address the recommendations from How People Learn.

24. It’s Lunchtime! We’ll start again at 1:00
Lunch will be served in VU 565
We’ll start again at 1:00

25. Do you....... ...? ........facilitate others doing lesson study
Curriculum Topic Study (CTS)
Looking at Student Work (LASW)
writing assessments
implementing kits
such as your building team
such as your district team
in a regional, state, or national group
by arranging extracurricular science such as a science fair/club or off-site field studies
List generated by NCOSP teachers
Note breadth of activities
Time for reflection.
...?

26. Do you....... ...? ........make presentations to
teachers on topics such as kit training, notebooks, How People Learn, etc.
your school board or other district-level groups
PTA or parent groups
community groups
regional, state, or national groups or conferences
List generated by NCOSP teachers
Note breadth of activities
Time for reflection.
...?

27. Do you....... ...? ........coach or consult with a student teacher
colleagues
a student teacher
a new teacher
a teacher new to your school or grade level
your principal or district administrator
building team members
district team members
colleagues around the region, state, or beyond
List generated by NCOSP teachers
Note breadth of activities
Time for reflection.
...?

28. Surprise! ...you are a leader! List generated by NCOSP teachers
Note breadth of activities
Time for reflection.

29. Leadership Practices Research
What contributions can teacher leaders make toward the shared goal of school improvement?

30. Leadership Practices Research
“In adaptive schools all players - administrators, teachers, support staff, students - must have the knowledge and skills to manage themselves and influence and lead others.”
Garmston and Wellman, Christopher Gordan,1999

31. Leadership Practices Research
“The key notion in the definition of teacher leadership is that leadership is about learning together, and constructing meaning and knowledge collectively and collaboratively.”
Linda Lambert, ASCD,1998

32. Leadership Practices Research
“Effective leaders know how to select and execute the right role for the right group and when and how to switch roles within a group.”
Kaser, Mundry, Stiles, Loucks-Horsley, Corwin, 2006

33. Leadership Practices Landel and Miller, 2007 Research
“Teacher leaders, with their mastery of content and instructional practices, credibility with colleagues, and proximity to students, offer valuable expertise central to school improvement efforts.”
Landel and Miller, 2007

34. Strategies 4 Hats of Leadership Facilitating Coaching Consulting
Presenting
Think about times you have worn this hat?

35. Leadership Practices Strategies Leadership Inventory
Seven Norms of Collaboration
Non-verbal communication

36. Leadership
Data
Did the Summer Academy prepare you to take on more of a leadership role in your school? How?
Yes (N=109)
Training in Facilitation Skills (41)
NCOSP Facilitation of District Action Plans (24)
Protocols as tools to implement change (16)
Collaboration with teachers & admin (9)
Increased Content Knowledge (5)
Needs- more admin support, more practice with facilitation
2006 SA Week 2 Survey

37. Leadership Knowledge and Skills
Data
LCF Month/Topic
Question
Mean SD
Total
October 2006
4 Hats of Shared Leadership
Increased
Understanding?
3.92
0.69 51
December 2006
Presentation
Increased Understanding?
3.90
0.66 28
January 2007
Coaching and Consulting
3.68
0.48 25
Scale of 1-5 with 1 being “Not at all” and 5 being “To a great extent.”

38. Leadership Practices Reflection
1) Complete the Four Hats Likert scale post-test
2) Describe an example from your work in your district or building this year when you were a “facilitator”, “presenter”, “coach”, or “consultant”.
3) What leadership opportunities will you pursue next year?

39. Professional Learning Communities
Research
What is the impact of teacher collaboration on teacher retention and student learning?

40. Professional Learning Communities
Research
“Professional development for teachers can have a positive impact on student achievement if it is sustained over time; focuses on specific content areas; supports the collective learning of most, if not all, teachers in a school; aligns with school and teacher goals; and provides opportunities for teachers to practice and apply new knowledge.”
Professional Development Analysis, Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning

41. Professional Learning Communities
Research
“Meaningful changes to the teaching and learning environment can increase teacher retention and encourage teachers to return to the profession. Those who planned to stay said that having meaningful input in the decision making process and collaborative relationships with their colleagues were reasons to remain.”
Center for Teacher Quality at Sacramento State

42. Professional Learning Communities
Strategies
Lesson Study
Curriculum Topic Study
Looking at Student Work Protocols
Developing Formative Assessment Probes

43. Collaboration among Teachers
Data
Collaboration has been a key component of the NCOSP partnership
Across Partnership Surveys, LCF surveys, and SA surveys, teachers consistently report that…
The development of collaborative relationships with other teachers has been one of the most important aspects of the partnership
Discussions with other teachers have been one of the most important components within the NCOSP PD activities that has helped develop their understanding

44. Lesson Study
Data
Please rate each of the following:
Mean
Participation in a lesson study group has increased my connectedness and collegiality with my group members.
4.4
Participation in a lesson study group has increased my knowledge of how students learn.
3.8
The work of our lesson study group has helped me improve my teaching practices.
3.7
5 = “to a great extent” ; 3 = “somewhat”; and 1 = “not at all”
source TL Partnership Profile 2006 (N=90)

45. Curriculum Topic Study
Data
Question
Mean SD N
How knowledgeable do you feel you are in the use of CTS?
3.52
0.77 77
To what extent do you think CTS can help teachers strengthen their content knowledge?
4.28
0.68 78
To what extent do you think CTS can help teachers strengthen their pedagogical knowledge?
4.07
0.81 72
Participants responded using a scale of 1-5, with 1 being “Not at all,” and 5 being “To a great extent” on the 2006 LCF Impact Survey

46. Looking at Student Work Protocols
Data
28% of TLs coming into the 2006 Summer Academy had a clear understanding of the use of protocols and how they can improve teaching and student learning.
93% of TLs left the Summer Academy with a clear understanding of the use of protocols and how they can improve teaching and student learning.
25% of TLs responded that the use of protocols for looking at student work was the most relevant topic to their classroom practice that they learned about during the 2006 SA.
Week 2 Survey at 2006 SA (N= 130)

47. Professional Learning Communities
Reflection
Describe how your participation in a collaborative group deepened your knowledge of:
1) Science content relevant to your teaching
2) Instructional practices that support student learning
3) Collaborative practice that support effective groups

48. Professional Learning Communities
Strategies
District Action Planning

49. District Action Plans Data Most Common Activities in DAPs
Impact: Cross-grade level collaboration on activities in DAPs
Most Common Activities in DAPs
Creating assessments (53%)
Aligning teaching with GLEs (53%)
Working on a “scope and sequence” (42%)
Most Common Strategies in DAPs
Science notebooking (47%)
Looking at student work (42%)
Most Common Feedback on DAPs
Goals too broad or ambitious
Need to make objectives more measurable and define data collection strategies

50. Professional Learning Communities
Reflection
How did the DAP process influence your thinking about data-driven decision-making and collaborative planning?
How will the work you completed this year through your DAP influence the work you will initiate this summer?

51. Moving Forward to Summer 2007 and beyond

52. Supporting Professional Learning Communities in Your Building
Research
"Teachers in successful schools are undeniably interdependent. Professionals working in concert produce cumulative effects in student learning. As more schools, districts, states, and provinces develop and attempt to implement clear standards and high expectations, the need for collaborative energy becomes increasingly clear.”
Garmston and Wellman, Christopher Gordan, 1999

53. Supporting Professional Learning Communities in Your Building
Research
“School capacity is the key to success. This capacity consists of five components: (1) teachers’ knowledge, skills and dispositions; (2) professional community; (3) program coherence; (4) technical resources; (5) principal leadership.”
Fullan, Leading in a Culture of Change

54. Supporting Professional Learning Communities in Your Building
Strategies
Engaging Principals and Teacher Leaders in supporting a Professional Learning Community

55. Future Directions for NCOSP
Data Sources
1) Focus Group Discussion Feb LCF (n= 94 TLs, HEI faculty, and administrators)
2) Focus Group Discussion during 2006 SA (n= 6 TLs)
3) SA 2006 Week 2 TL Survey (n= 130 TLs)
4) SA 2006 Administrator Survey (n= 30 administrators)
5) SA 2006 Facilitator Survey (n= 25 SA facilitators)
6) May 2006 LCF Impact Survey (n= 79 TLs)
7) Teacher Leader Partnership Profile Spring 2006 (n= 88 TLs)
8) NCOSP Internal Evaluation Report
9) SA 2006 Report

56. Future Directions for NCOSP
Data
Continued focus on Teacher Leaders
Develop facilitation and leadership skills through practice
Impact on greater number of teachers
Teacher leaders rated teachers at their school as their most important resource in their work with science reform
Increase the participation of school and district administrators
Administrators indicated a need for better understanding of quality science instruction and how to best support teacher leaders

57. Professional Learning Communities
Reflection
Thinking about what you have learned in terms of (a) science content; (b) instructional strategies, and (c) leadership skills:
Identify 2-3 areas that will help you in your work in the next year and why?

58. Summer 2007 Applications submitted May 7 Applications reviewed May 10
Intent of reviews
Process of review and feedback
Actions required
Feedback will be distributed today

59. Themes observed in applications
Strengths
High expectations
Valuable and effective strategies
Teachers of different grades and “non-science” teachers (e.g. reading specialists, math teacher, special education specialists, etc)
Well-articulated rational for the team members
Evidence of commitment to and alignment with standards and grade-level expectations
Strong reflection of NCOSP tools, strategies, and resources

60. Themes observed in applications
Areas for improvement
Need for clearer learning targets and more manageable scope of work
Need for better definition of roles and responsibilities for principals, teacher leaders, and participating teachers
Need for inclusion of more sources of data and for continuous use of data as part of the work of the professional learning community

61. See you tomorrow at 8:30 AM…
Closing
Complete the end of year LCF Impact Survey
Exchange your survey for your summer PD application and feedback
Join us tomorrow for a day at the movies!
See you tomorrow at 8:30 AM…