Fostering motivation in professional development programs




















Teachers are more likely to proceed with new practices if they see positive results in their students. Student scores on standardized tests should not be the only measure of effectiveness. Teacher-developed achievement tests, student portfolios, and grades can be used to evaluate the effect of professional development Asayesh, Schools also may wish to evaluate the extent to which students are responsible for their own learning and are engaged in in-depth investigations of issues and problems.

If the professional development effort has a nonacademic focus such as reducing student violence, for example , the indicators of effectiveness should include authentic forms of assessment such as dropout rates, student attendance rates, and changes in the amount of school vandalism.

Margaret B. Tinzmann, senior program researcher at North Central Regional Educational Laboratory in Oak Brook, Illinois, talks about evaluation to determine the effect of professional development on student learning.

Although professional development programs are designed to affect the participants and in turn the students, they typically have an impact on other stakeholders--administrators, counselors, principals, and other instructional staff. To be thorough, evaluation should be drawn from these sources as well as from the program participants.

A multifaceted approach, using different types of information from a variety of sources, should be employed. Both quantitative measurement-driven and qualitative narrative-based data should be included in the process to provide valuable information.

Specifically, the information should include data on participant outcomes, organizational outcomes, and student outcomes. Clear communication of the findings helps ensure that the results are used to guide school improvement efforts and subsequent professional development activities. Typically, evaluation of a professional development activity is completed at the end of the activity. This evaluation usually is restricted to the participant's initial reaction to the session content and relevance as well as the effectiveness of the presenter or facilitator.

Although assessing these factors has value, the most important factor is the long-term impact of the professional development activity. A follow-up evaluation, completed after teachers have had an opportunity to implement ideas gleaned from the activity, is helpful in assessing changes in instructional practice, changes in professional culture such as increased collaboration and problem solving , and student improvement. To reinforce changes made by teachers and the school organization, follow-up programs and support activities can be scheduled as part of the evaluation process.

Evaluation of professional development efforts need not be a terribly complicated process requiring the assistance of outside experts. Mullins notes that teachers, counselors, and other professional staff can provide important information concerning the appropriateness of topics and the effectiveness of staff developers. Action research is an example of a powerful evaluation process that typically can be conducted by the school faculty with little or no outside assistance.

Calhoun suggests a five-phase action research cycle: 1 selecting an area or problem of collective interest, 2 collecting data, 3 organizing data, 4 analyzing and interpreting data, and 5 taking action based on this information. Data is then collected again to determine the effectiveness of these efforts.

Tinzmann, senior program researcher at North Central Regional Educational Laboratory in Oak Brook, Illinois, talks about action research as a means of evaluation that ultimately leads to school improvement. ACTION OPTIONS: The evaluation team consisting of teachers, administrators, school board members, parents, and interested community members and classroom teachers can take the following actions to evaluate professional development programs:.

Although each program should contribute to the broader personal and professional growth of the participants, its main goal should be to increase student achievement. Planning for the evaluation of professional development programs sometimes is done as an afterthought.

It is important to think about and design the evaluation process at the beginning of an initiative rather than to tag it on later. From the beginning, the evaluation plan is critical to determine the evaluation's audience for example, teachers, school board members, and parents and the questions that will be of interest to each. The audience and their interests should drive both the approach and the tools used in the evaluation. Evaluation of a professional development activity often consists of an evaluation form filled out at the end of the activity.

Such timing does not allow for corrections to be made or concerns to be addressed during the activity. To ensure that programs are useful and relevant, the participants' feedback and comments should be collected at intervals during the program and used to modify and improve it. If a qualitative approach to evaluation is employed, the findings may not be communicated clearly.

For narrative-based data, clear communication of the findings is essential. A case study approach such as Lieberman, has become increasingly popular. This format could be used to present the evaluation information and to highlight important findings.

As a team manager your job is to provide adequate growth opportunities to your employees. Help employees in achieving more. Review their results on a regular basis. Give them necessary feedbacks and tell them where all they are lacking.

Never ever demotivate them. Criticism leads to frustration and kills the team morale. Guide them and suggest as to how they can overcome the gap between their current stage and desired stage. Motivate them to register for various online course materials, forums which would groom them and prepare them for future.

You really need to give that extra push to your employees for them to take employee development activities and training programs seriously. Till what time you can run after their lives? After all even they need to be serious about their own career.

View All Articles. Similar Articles Under - Employee Development. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse this repository, you give consent for essential cookies to be used. You can read more about our Privacy and Cookie Policy. Doctoral thesis, Durham University. Since the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region SAR , in December of , when the Portuguese Government handed administration of the territory back to China, there has been an increased focus on how to attract and sustain international investment in the region.

Within the last ten years Macao has seen unusually rapid growth, especially in the Gaming, Hotel and Events industries, with a significant proportion due to the entry of American Corporations such as MGM, Wynn, and Galaxy. Now more than ever the Macao Special Administrative Region SAR Government would like to see an enhancement of the English Language acquisition process in schools throughout the territory.

The purpose of this research investigation is to explore the effectiveness of a professional development program on the professional efficacy of local Macao English language teachers to affect student motivation in English as foreign language EFL classrooms throughout the territory.



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