Professional Learning Goal

As we move forward into the implementation phase of our innovation project, Blended Learning: Personalizing the Future of Education, we, the Blended Learning Implementation Team (BLIT), want to make sure to deliver an alternative professional learning plan to our Administration and K-5 Reading teachers. Our professional learning outline is a way to ensure that we instill the goals of our Innovation Plan in order to successfully implement a blended learning environment that fosters choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning opportunities. 

 

According to Gulamhussein (2013), “most professional development today is ineffective. It neither changes teacher practice nor improves student learning.” However, by including the 5 Principles of Effective Professional Development, we will ensure that we provide ongoing support, engagement, modeling, and learning goals that target the specific needs of our campus staff and students. Our professional learning outline is directed toward introducing and implementing our blended learning initiative while supporting our staff and students through the change. 

 

The Five Principles of Effective Professional Development

Principle One: Duration

The duration of our Professional Learning Plan that implements our blended learning initiative with our Administrative Team and our K-5 Reading teachers will begin in May 2022 and will be ongoing as needed. The goal of our ongoing timeline is to ensure success, deepen knowledge of blended learning, alleviate any disconnect with our wildly important goal (WIG), and create a significant learning environment (CSLE) that fosters students' choice, ownership, and voice through authentic learning opportunities (COVA). 

 

Principle Two: Support

We have formed a Blended Learning Implementation Team (BLIT) in order to provide ongoing support for our Administrative team and K-5 reading teachers during the implementation phase on our campus. The BLIT’s goal is to foster leadership, and encourage collaboration and trust while providing coaching and modeling for our learners (K-5 reading teachers). Within every phase, we have made sure to provide content-specific support with time for reflection and discussion. 

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Principle Three: Active Learning

According to Gulamhussein (2013), teachers’ initial exposure to a concept should not be passive, but rather should engage teachers through varied approaches so that they can participate in multiple activities to make sense of all the new information. Within every phase, we have made sure that teachers will be actively participating in a blended learning environment and will engage in activities they will be able to transfer to their classrooms.

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Principle Four: Modeling

Modeling and coaching have been found to be very effective in teachers’ understanding of a new level of practice (Gulamhussein, 2013).  Our ongoing support plan provides modeling and coaching every month, for our K-5 reading teachers. BLIT will schedule a lesson to be modeled every other month that will give teachers the opportunity to observe and acquire new knowledge. BLIT will then follow up with another layer of support in the classroom in the form of co-teaching. This method will allow teachers to gain confidence in their blended learning environment.

 

Principle Five: Content-Specific

The blended learning content presented to teachers will be tailored to their specific grade level and subject. This specific reading content will not be generic or vague, it will be personalized for each grade level, K-5. Coaching and modeling will be even more specific as the need arises. 

 

In conclusion, by following the 5 Principles of Effective Professional Development, we will offer ongoing assistance, modeling, and motivation to increase engagement and effectiveness. This innovative approach to professional learning will guide our Administration and K-5 reading teachers and ensure that our Blended Learning initiative is successful.

 

Below you will find a detailed outline of our Professional Learning Plan that includes ongoing and specific support, scheduled PL times, learning goals, collaborative activities, audience, presenters, and resources needed.

 

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Resources

Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the Teachers Effective Professional Development in an Era of High Stakes

          Accountability. Center for Public Education. Retrieved from

          http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/system/files/2013-176_ProfessionalDevelopment.pdf

Harapnuik, D., Thibodeaux, T., Cummings, C. (2018). Choice, ownership, and voice through 

          authentic learning [eBook]. Creative Commons License. http://tilisathibodeaux.com/wordpress/wp-   

          content/uploads/2019/04/COVA_eBook_Jan_2018.pdf  

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