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Conceptual Framework
8. Evaluating the Quality and Impact of Professional Development
The design of a professional development program can be considered a series of
hypotheses. Based on their understanding of the needs of a particular group of
teachers and their knowledge of what "works" under a particular set
of circumstances, professional development providers plan activities that they
believe will result in the desired outcomes, such as increased teacher
knowledge or improved pedagogical skills. Evaluation provides a way to test
those hypotheses, providing information that can be used both to improve the
program during its implementation and to judge the effectiveness of the
program.
Several materials in the database provide insights and tools for evaluating the
quality and impact of professional development programs.
The User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation: Science, Mathematics,
Engineering and Technology Education (Stevens et al., 1993) was
developed for Principal Investigators and project evaluators working with the
National Science Foundation's Directorate for Education and Human Resource
Development. The authors note that the Handbook "builds on firmly
established principles, blending technical knowledge and common sense to meet
the special needs of NSF's programs and those involved in them" (p. ix).
In addition to descriptions of different types of evaluations and data
collection methods, the Handbook provides examples of project evaluations,
including an in-service program for elementary science teachers, and guidelines
for selecting project evaluators.
Many systemic reform efforts have professional development as their centerpiece
and also target other aspects of schools and schooling that affect whether
teachers can make use of their learning and improve classroom instruction. Evaluation
of Systemic Reform in Mathematics and Science (Webb et al.,
forthcoming) discusses the emerging theory of systemic reform and its
implications for evaluation, focusing on a set of nine attributes: capacity,
sustainability, alignment, saturation, quality, equity, linkages, trade-offs,
and incentives; and two key outcomes: reformed instruction and student
achievement. Evaluation methods and tools for measuring and judging each of the
attributes and outcomes are highlighted.
Finally, an essay prepared by Iris Weiss, provides a brief
discussion of some of the issues to consider in evaluating professional
development programs and describes a number of resources that can be used for
further investigation.
This concludes the discussion of the conceptual framework for designing
effective professional development. We encourage you to revisit these pages
periodically, as you explore the TE-MAT database.
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