scholarly journals Teacher Perceptions and Implementation of a Content-Area Literacy Professional Development Program

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Osha Lynette Smith ◽  
Rebecca Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Perceptions ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Middle Level ◽  
Professional Development Program ◽  
Content Area ◽  
Literacy Strategies ◽  
Content Area Teachers

The Common Core State Standards recommend that all educators equip students with the literacy skills needed for college and careers. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine middle-level content-area teachers’ perspectives on a district-led literacy professional development program and their implementation of the literacy strategies they learned. The conceptual framework included Bruner’s constructivist, Bandura’s self-efficacy, and Knowles’s andragogy theories. These theories informed the investigation of adult learners’ perspectives regarding the way they learn and gain confidence in providing literacy instruction. Eleven English, math, science, and social studies teachers participated in the study through individual interviews. Data were also gathered via classroom observations and lesson plans. The findings of the study indicated that teachers did implement the literacy strategies following the professional development provided despite lacking perceived self-efficacy with these skills. Although teachers saw value in literacy, their perceptions of the professional development were affected by their commitment to content instruction, time constraints, the organization of the professional development, and a forced compliance district mandate.

scholarly journals Effects of a professional development program for teaching mathematics with technology on teachers’ beliefs, self-efficacy and practices

ZDM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (7) ◽  
pp. 1411-1422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Thurm ◽  
Bärbel Barzel
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Epistemological Beliefs ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Professional Development Program ◽  
Teaching Mathematics ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Teaching With Technology ◽  
Teachers Beliefs ◽  
Experimental Group

Abstract Digital technologies such as multi-representational tools have the potential to enhance the learning of mathematics. In light of this potential, there is a ubiquitous call to integrate such tools into mathematics teaching. However, these technologies are still underused. Teaching with technology is not an easy task and teacher competencies such as knowledge and beliefs are a decisive factor. Therefore, professional development is important to professionalize teachers and support them in using technology in meaningful ways. Despite this need, little is known about the efficacy of professional development programs for teaching mathematics with technology. This quantitative study investigated the efficacy of a half-year professional development program for teaching mathematics with technology, using the methodology of a quasi-experimental design, in Germany. We captured (i) teachers’ beliefs about teaching with technology, (ii) self-efficacy beliefs related to teaching with technology, (iii) epistemological beliefs and (iv) self-reported frequency of technology uptake with quantitative questionnaires in pre- and post-tests. The experimental group (n = 39) participating in the professional development program consisted of mostly novices in using technology for teaching mathematics. Propensity score matching was used to match this group with a control group of teachers (n = 38) who did not participate in the professional development program. The strongest impact of the professional development program was found on teacher’s technology-related beliefs. Frequency of technology use seemed to increase gradually in the experimental group during the professional development program. No effect of the professional development program was found on self-efficacy beliefs and epistemological beliefs. We conclude by deriving recommendations for designing professional development programs related to teaching with technology.

scholarly journals Agroforestry education for high school agriculture science : a case study of novel content implementation

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Hannah Hemmelgarn
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
High School ◽  
Sustainable Agriculture ◽  
Teacher Learning ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Professional Development Program ◽  
Social Resilience ◽  
Teacher Self Efficacy

High school agriculture science programs are recognized as meaningful arenas to reach young agriculture professionals as they gain a foundational understanding of their field. While sustainability is at the forefront of agriculture research and technological advancements, and is critical to student career readiness, the adoption of novel sustainable agriculture content in the high school curriculum has not been implemented for certain sustainable agriculture practices. Agroforestry represents one such content area that has been largely lacking in high school agriculture science classrooms, despite its relevance to modern agricultural advancements in sustainability for economic, environmental, and social resilience. Due to the contextual nature of content adoption by agricultural educators, the curriculum implementation process for novel content is dependent on an understanding of teacher learning, teacher self-efficacy, professional development, and curriculum modification. This case study of the process of novel content implementation examines the complexities of teacher sourcing, modification, and use of novel content, evaluates an agroforestry professional development program for teachers with varying levels of experience, and follows this group of teachers one year after the professional development program to investigate the relationship between teacher self-efficacy and novel content enactment. The importance of teacher-learning support networks and experiential learning in curriculum and professional development emerged as major themes for effective novel content implementation.

An Interprofessional Quality Improvement Training Program That Improves Educational and Quality Outcomes

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 577-584 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne Baernholdt ◽  
Moshe Feldman ◽  
Mary Lynn Davis-Ajami ◽  
L. Dale Harvey ◽  
Paul E. Mazmanian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Professional Development Program ◽  
Project Work ◽  
Quality Outcomes ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Outpatient Settings

A key component of quality improvement (QI) is developing leaders who can implement QI projects collaboratively. A yearlong interprofessional, workplace-based, continuing professional development program devoted to QI trained 2 cohorts of teams (dyads or triads) to lead QI projects in their areas of work using Plan-Do-Study-Act methodology. Teams represented different specialties in both inpatient and outpatient settings. They spent 4 to 6 hours/week on seminars, online modules, bimonthly meetings with a QI coach, and QI project work. Evaluations conducted after each session included pre–post program QI self-efficacy and project milestones. Post-program participants reported higher levels of QI self-efficacy (mean = 3.47; SD = 0.39) compared with pre program (mean = 2.02, SD = 0.51; P = .03, Cohen’s d = 3.19). Impact on clinical units was demonstrated, but varied. The coach was identified as a key factor for success. An interprofessional, workplace-based, continuing professional development program focused on QI increased QI knowledge and skills and translated to improvements in the clinical setting.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the Professional Development Program in Digital Material Design According to the Kirkpatrick’s Model

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-88
Author(s):  
Güler Göçen Kabaran ◽  
Salih Uşun
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Classroom Environment ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Material Design ◽  
Materials Design ◽  
Evaluation Study ◽  
Professional Development Program ◽  
Digital Material ◽  
Kirkpatrick’S Model

Today's developments have revealed the necessity of using digital materials in educational environments. The digital material design competencies of the teachers on this subject are essential. In this context, it is necessary to develop and evaluate a professional development program. The purpose of the current study is an evaluation of the professional development program developed for the digital material design according to Kirkpatrick’s Model. In the current study, a digital materials design professional development program consisting of 10 modules and 21 subjects was developed. Kirkpatrick’s Program Evaluation Model was used in the evaluation of the program. In this context, teachers' reactions to the program, their learning levels, their ability to transfer the knowledge they have acquired to the classroom environment, and the target audience's opinions on the practices were determined. “The Digital Materials Design Competences Scale” and "The Scale of Self-Efficacy Perception of Technology Integration" was used to collect quantitative data. Interviews and the observation technique were used to collect qualitative data. According to the findings, it was determined that the teachers expressed positive opinions about the program and that they were satisfied with the program. It was concluded that after the professional development program, the teachers' digital material design competencies and their self-efficacy perceptions of the integration of technology developed. The follow-up evaluation study determined that teachers could transfer the knowledge and skills they gained in the professional development program to the actual classroom environment, and students expressed positive opinions about these practices.

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