Opportunities for teachers to engage in professional learning and development can have a substantial impact on student learning. The acclaimed research by Timperley (2006) and others, including Phillips, McNaughton, and McDonald (2001), showed gains equating to more than two years' progress in one year. More importantly, the gains with the lowest-performing 20% of students equated to an extra three or four years for every one year of schooling.
We know, however, what is effective is not always practised. For example, listening to inspiring speakers or attending one-off workshops rarely changes a teacher's practice sufficiently to impact pupils.
In terms of time for professional development, how time was used was more important than the amount of time. The frequency of contact was particularly important: most studies reported a greater impact where contact was at least every two weeks. The most impactful programmes tended to last between six months and two years.
“Extended timeframes and frequent contact were probably necessary because, in most core studies, the process of changing teaching practice involved substantive new learning that, at times, challenged existing beliefs, values, and/or the understandings that underpinned that practice. The learning process was iterative rather than linear as new ideas were revisited in terms of their implications for the ideas on which current practice was based". (Timperley, 2007)
Consider the new National Professional Qualifications and the Early Career Teachers programme we are preparing to deliver or already delivering. You can recognise these as embedded features of the programmes. Both types of programmes are sustained over 12-24 months; involve regular and frequent contact (weekly activities); and are based on a common, progressive framework.
The impact demonstrated by research indicates why the government is investing so heavily in teacher development as part of Covid recovery, with scholarship funding for NPQs and the ECF full induction programme fully funded for schools. Your school can access the scholarship funding for NPQs now. The benefits for your school, teachers' professional development, and pupils are clear.
Find out more about the NPQ delivery model at our Teacher Development Network LIVE! lunchtime briefing for headteachers and senior leaders on Thursday 30th September, 13:30-14:15. Register here.
Best wishes
Paul
Paul Butler
Director: Bradford Teaching School Hub
Source: Timperley, etal (2007): Teacher Professional Learning and Development. BES
