Where are we at? An empirical study of levels and methods of evaluating continuing professional development

Abstract

Continuing professional development (CPD) is increasingly becoming recognised as important for all professionals in order to maintain and develop their competence. Many professions, especially in the health field, require evidence of CPD in order for professionals to be granted continuing registration as practitioners. Given its accreditation as well as developmental uses, it is important that CPD is evaluated. The present study examines the usefulness of a hierarchical model for the evaluation of CPD for teachers. The data were derived from a sample of 223 CPD coordinators and 416 teachers from a randomly selected sample of 1000 schools in England. Questionnaire data were analysed using Rasch modelling. The results suggest a reasonable fit with the model, with participant satisfaction being the most commonly evaluated outcome while participants' use of new skills and student outcomes were the least likely to be evaluated, together with value for money according to teachers only. The implications for teachers' CPD are discussed.

Opening Pandora’s Box: school autonomy in Cyprus and emerging implications for school leaders

“…Internationally, there have been large investments in leadership development and CPD programmes. This links tightly with research evidence arising from school effectiveness and school improvement studies (Harris, 2003) supporting the observation that schools found to be improving are at the same time investing in professional development, while staff engage in various forms of professional learning (Muijs & Lindsay, 2007). Adhering to the demands of professional learning, leadership development in Cyprus needs to build on various phases according to the professionals' leadership career stage: an Initial Leadership Training Programme (Phase 1) governed by set standards on basic competencies for school leaders and leading to a diploma (professional qualification) used as a basic requirement for promotion to leadership posts; In-Post Training (Phase 2) as a development phase, designed for newly appointed leaders acting as a handson experience process; and high-order CPD Training (Phase 3) delivered to professionals and experienced school leaders addressing advanced issues such as consultant leadership, mentoring and coaching ).…”

Evaluating long-term complex professional development: using a variation of the cohort control design

“…However, this consensus of how PD should be designed is fairly informal in the literature, with little evidence on the exact effect on student achievement. There are numerous findings on the lack of depth in current research designs for studying the connection between PD and student achievement (Muijs & Lindsay, 2008;Wayne, Yoon, Zhu, Cronen, & Garet, 2008). The design variation we present in this paper could be used in other programme evaluations to help address this methodological gap in the literature concerning our ability to make a valid causal link between PD and student achievement.…”

Integrating ICT in Teacher Colleges - A Change Process

“…Processes of change in an educational setting Educational systems are always under pressure regarding the necessity for change, renewal, and greater efficacy (Muijs & Lindsay, 2008;Pijl, 2009). Changes deriving from internal initiatives are based on free choice and the need for cooperation.…”