What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers

• Published in: American educational research journal Vol. 38; no. 4; pp. 915 - 945
• Main Authors: Garet, Michael S, u.a
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Educational Research Association 2001; SAGE Publications
• Subjects: Active learning; Classroom observations; Classrooms; Councils; Curricula; Education reform; Educational activities; Educational Change; Educational personnel; Educational research; Educational sciences; Effizienz; Elementary Secondary Education; Empirische Untersuchung; Federal Programs; Funding; Fähigkeit; Higher education; Knowledge; Learning; Least Squares Statistics; Lehrer; Lehrerausbildung; Lehrerfortbildung; Lernen; Lernmethode; Mathematics; Mathematics education; Mathematics Teachers; Mathematikunterricht; Methods; Outcomes of Education; Professional Development; Program Effectiveness; Qualität; Science Teachers; Students; Teachers; Teaching methods; Teaching, Learning, and Human Development; USA; Wissen; Workshops; USA; Primary School Teacher; Mathematics; Training Method; Professional development; Teachers training
• ISSN: 0002-8312; 1935-1011
• DOI: 10.3102/00028312038004915

This study uses a national probability sample of 1,027 mathematics and science teachers to provide the first large-scale empirical comparison of effects of different characteristics of professional development on teachers' learning. Results ... indicate three core features of professional development activities that have significant, positive effects on teachers' self-reported increases in knowledge and skills and changes in classroom practice: a) focus on content knowledge; b) opportunities for active learning; and c) coherence with other learning activities. ... It is primarily through these core features that the following structural features significantly affect teacher learning: a) the form of the activity (e.g. workshop vs. study group); b) collective participation of teachers from the same school, grade, or subject; and c) the duration of activity. (DIPF/Orig.)