Self-directed professional learning cycle in recurring two-week PD chunks with public goals and study groups¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The paper profiles Summit Public Schools, where every teacher participates in at least 40 days of professional development per year mirroring the student self-directed learning model. Teachers use a five-phase cycle: "set a goal, make plans to work towards that goal, learn towards the goal, eventually show what you've learned, and finally reflect." During four two-week PD chunks each year, teachers set their own public goals, form study groups with colleagues sharing similar goals, and access in-house and external resources and experts.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Protected two-week PD chunks at four times throughout the year
• Public goals visible to faculty and structures for peer study groups
• Access to in-house and out-of-house professional development and outside experts

Constraints¶

• Most of the two-week chunks are self-directed rather than meeting-driven, per the school's own description

Target Learners¶

• Practicing K-12 teachers

Target Learning Goals¶

• Self-directed continuous professional growth
• Development of cognitive-skills rubrics and other model-specific teaching practices

Related Strategies¶

• Collaborative Autoethnography for Teacher PD
• Provide implementation professional development and support approximately every three weeks
• Self-Organized Learning Groups

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Karen Cator, Carri Schneider, Tom Vander Ark. (2014). Preparing Teachers for Deeper Learning: Competency-Based Teacher Preparation and Development. Digital Promise / Getting Smart. https://digitalpromise.dspacedirect.org/items/a1928fce-2d47-429b-8e81-fbeb9ce079c3