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Collaborating with experts to support schools and deliver professional development, ensuring the success of all students.



Collaborative Implementation – The Evolution of Coaching

Professional Development that Makes a Difference
Part 3 –  The Critical Component

If increased student learning is the goal of professional development then consistent and generalized transfer of the new learning to the student learning environment is necessary. In the 25 years of research conducted by Bruce Joyce and Beverly Showers the component that had the greatest impact on successful transfer was a system of collaborative implementation teams. Regardless of how good the initial training was, transfer rarely happened without some kind of long-term coaching and staff collaboration. The resulting change wasn’t sustained without the ongoing support of leadership and the alignment of systems within the organization. (more…)

Professional Development That Makes a Difference

Part II  – The 12 Building Blocks of Successful Transfer

It is remarkably easy to waste time and money on professional development that produces no real change. The opportunities to attend interesting and exciting events are everywhere.  The edu-tainment industry is big business and can send everyone home well-fed, significantly dazzled and at least temporarily motivated.  Yet the data on transfer of new knowledge from training to the learning environment remains poor and, as resources diminish, cost-effectiveness becomes increasingly more critical.

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Professional Development – Don’t Waste Your Money

Professional Development that Makes a Difference 
Part 1  – The Four Components of Effective Professional Development

It turns out that ensuring positive outcomes from professional development, especially transfer of new knowledge and skills into the classroom, is not easy.  Research has been conducted on the outcomes of professional development for more than 20 years and the results are quite discouraging. Are we wasting our money?

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