The Harvard Family Research Project separated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education to become the Global Family Research Project as of January 1, 2017. It is no longer affiliated with Harvard University.
Volume XI, Number 4, Winter 2005/2006
Issue Topic: Professional Development
New & Noteworthy
The New & Noteworthy section features an annotated list of papers, organizations, initiatives, and other resources related to the issue's theme.
Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2003). The unsolved challenge of system reform: The condition of the frontline human services workforce. Baltimore, MD: Author. This report by the Casey Foundation explores the job conditions of the frontline workers who play a valuable role in the lives of children and families. The report includes profiles of current conditions, challenges faced by frontline workers, and strategies for improving human services delivery. The report also outlines eight factors that pose the greatest challenge to this workforce and describes approaches to significantly improve staff recruitment and quality. www.aecf.org/initiatives/hswi/report_rev.pdf
At issue: Evaluation. (2003, Fall). Journal of Staff Development, 24(4). The National Staff Development Council devotes the fall 2003 issue of its journal to evaluation techniques, focuses, and funding in K–12 education. Many of the articles emphasize the need to move beyond evaluating immediate participation satisfaction with program delivery to evaluation techniques and questions that measure the success of professional development programs in terms of ultimate student achievement. www.nsdc.org/library/publications/jsd
Keeping professional learning on track with evaluation. (2004, Spring). Notes & Reflections, 6. This issue of the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory's online newsletter underscores the importance of evaluating professional development to ensure its effective impact on teachers' learning and student achievement. A tool kit included in the newsletter offers strategies and resources for evaluating teacher reactions, teacher learning, organizational support, classroom implementation, and student learning outcomes.
Levine, A. (2005). Educating school leaders. Washington, DC: Education Schools Project. This report, written by the president of Columbia University Teachers College, critiques the quality of university-based preparation programs for school administrators. The 4-year study revealed that these programs suffer from curricular disarray, low admissions and graduation standards, and inadequate clinical instruction. Recommendations for improvement include redesigning education leadership programs to have focused and rigorous instruction in management and education. The report positions postdegree professional development by way of certificate-based short-term programs as a more effective way for administrators to advance through career stages.
Smith, C. (in press). Evidence of effectiveness for training in the High/Scope participatory learning approach (High/Scope Research Brief). Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope Educational Research Foundation. This research brief provides evidence of effectiveness for training developed and delivered by High/Scope's Youth Development Group. Evidence is reviewed across four levels: customer satisfaction, staff knowledge gained, effects on staff performance, and youth outcomes. The author also suggests that training may be effective when it is research based, when organizations support individual learning efforts, when trainees are part of larger systemic initiatives, and when training aligns with a validated assessment tool.
An expanded version of New & Noteworthy is also available.
HFRP Resources for Professional DevelopmentA new guide for after school providers, Focus on Families! How to Build and Support Family-Centered Practices in After School, has been produced through a partnership between HFRP, United Way of Massachusetts Bay, and BOSTnet. This comprehensive, easy-to-read guide is a critical resource for any after school provider looking to create or expand a family engagement program. The Issues and Opportunities in Out-of-School Time Evaluation Brief, Promoting Quality Through Professional Development: A Framework for Evaluation, examines professional development efforts for out-of-school time staff and offers a framework for their evaluation based on the work of Donald Kirkpatrick and Thomas Guskey (see also Questions and Answers). The After School Evaluation Symposium, held in September 2005 and sponsored by HFRP and the C. S. Mott Foundation, included a plenary session on Developing and Evaluating Professional Development Efforts for After School. This session featured panel presentations by researchers and practitioners, as well as discussion sections focused on the state of and future directions for professional development and its evaluation. |