Improving Professional Learning through In-House Inquiry

✍ Scribed by David Middlewood; Ian Abbott

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Year: 2015
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 217
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Improving Professional Learning through In-House Inquiry shows how to identify the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) needs of an individual or team and then to meet those needs through carrying out specific inquiry within the organisation.
Middlewood and Abbott demonstrate how the most effective professional learning occurs when the the needs of an organisation are identified at all levels and provide clear support for following this approach. The authors also show that effective student involvement is key because it clearly links CPD with the ultimate aim: to meet students' learning needs. Examples of how this has been achieved successfully in schools and colleges are drawn on throughout, showcasing a variety of settings in various countries. Four extended case studies from different types of educational institutions are provided to illustrate learning journeys.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover
Half-Title
Series
Title
Imprint
CONTENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
FIGURES
CONTRIBUTORS
PREFACE
ABBREVIATIONS
PART ONE Principles
CHAPTER ONE Effectiveness in professional learning and CPD
Introduction
The definitions, purposes and importance of professional learning and CPD
Developing a culture of effective professional learning and CPD
Different forms of professional learning and CPD
Issues relating to provision of effective professional learning and CPD
Identifying and meeting the needs of staff and students
The impact of professional learning and the evaluation of effective professional learning, including cost-effectiveness
Conclusion
Summary of Chapter One
CHAPTER TWO The school/college as a research-based community
Introduction
The importance of organizational self-evaluation
Internal investigation into practice
Principles for effective practitioner research
Developing a research-based learning community
Summary of Chapter Two
CHAPTER THREE Involving learners in research and professional learning
The emergence of student voice
Purposes and benefits of student voice
The importance of student voice being valid
Student research
Linking with professional learning and CPD
Possible barriers to implementing student research
Initiating and developing student research
Summary of Chapter Three
CHAPTER FOUR Improving professional learning at whole school level
Introduction
Developing a ‘learning organization’
Working in partnership
Effective planning and strategic development
Monitoring and evaluation
Dissemination
Ethics
Summary of Chapter Four
CHAPTER FIVE Collaborative and team approaches to professional learning
Introduction
The practicalities of effective practitioner research
Avoiding research overload
Collaborative approaches to in-house research
Collaborative professional learning and CPD
Opportunities for everyone
Collaborative professional learning across institutions
Summary of Chapter Five
CHAPTER SIX Improving professional learning at individual classroom level
Introduction
The role of professional learning and inquiry
Models of good classroom practice
Effective classroom inquiry
Using research evidence in the classroom
The principles of action research
Developing practitioner research
Summary of Chapter Six
PART TWO Practice
CHAPTER SEVEN The secondary school as research community
Introduction
The school’s context and culture
Background
Introducing practitioner research
The rationale for introducing practitioner research
Launching the programme
The principles and practicalities of using in-house research
Practitioner research: Key principles
Practitioner research – open to all
Linking the research undertaken to the corporate plan
The research itself: Maintaining quality and rigour
‘Good research’
In-house research: Advantages and potential pitfalls
How to carry out research effectively
Researcher in residence
Making the best use of the research
Presenting and disseminating the research
The nature and range of the research undertaken
Practitioner research: The range and diversity
Practitioner research: Its contribution to continuing professional development and learning
At the individual level
At the group level
At an organizational level
The enduring impact of practitioner research on teaching and learning
Conclusion
Summary of Chapter Seven
CHAPTER EIGHT The primary school with CPD at its heart
Introduction
The context of Forest School
Developing professionally
Steps to planning, implementing and evaluating a strategy for successful professional learning
In-house identification of professional learning needs
Classroom observations
Feedback from others
Budgeting for development
The factors determining success
The future
Summary of Chapter Eight
CHAPTER NINE The post-compulsory college: Investigating teaching and learning
Introduction
The context
Conclusion
Summary of Chapter Nine
CHAPTER TEN The Abu Dhabi schools and researching staff needs in a centralized system
Introduction
Context
The status of PD in the post-PPP era (since 2012)
Possible implications for the national education system concerned
Is there generalizability from these cases to other education systems?
Summary of Chapter Ten
PART THREE Overview
CHAPTER ELEVEN Conclusions and reflections
Introduction
Significance of professional learning
What conclusions may be drawn?
What are the implications for future practice?
Which factors may affect future possibilities?
Summary of Chapter Eleven
REFERENCES
SUBJECT INDEX