The Annotated Bibliography

Formative and Summative Evaluation of Professional Development

1. Corcoran, T.B. (1995). Helping teachers teach well: Transforming professional development. CPRE Policy Briefs. Brunswick, NJ: Center for Policy Research in Education

Corcoran argues that teachers should play a greater role in planning professional development since most likely they are the individuals who will implement it in the classroom. He also advocates for allowing teachers more time to interact with colleagues to share new strategies. This article assists policymakers to better engage teachers in the professional development process on a broader scale.

2. Guskey, T.R. (1995). Results-oriented professional development: In search of an optimal mix of effective practices. Journal of Staff Development, v15 n4 p42-50

Guskey proposes six guidelines for evaluating results oriented professional development. They are:

A. Recognize Change as Both an Individual and Organizational Process Few people enjoy change, but Guskey says that the change provided by professional learning communities must be relevant to the instructional staff.

B. Think Big, but Start Small

We all have grand ideas on how our successful our school should be, but Guskey cautions to strive for the small victories before moving on to bigger targets.

C. Work in Teams to Maintain Support

Teamwork is an essential piece of the professional learning communities model. Without teamwork, little progress can be made.

D. Include Procedures for Feedback on Results

Specific procedures for feedback should be established within professional learning communities. If a new program is not working, adjustments can be made promptly.

E. Provide Follow-Up, Support, and Pressure

Guskey states that professional development should be viewed as a process and not an event. There should be ample opportunities for additional support.

F. Integrate Programs

Guskey stresses the need for educators to continue to be innovate and find new ways to mesh various programs within the school setting to maximize student achievement.

3. Mack, P. (1998). A spiral plan for delivery and evaluation of continuous professional development. National Staff Development Council Conference. Eric Document 426 981.

Mack presents an illustration of a spiral whereby the bottom of the spiral represents the beginning of the professional development process (setting goals, aligning learning plan with goals) and continues in an upward progression with the next level of the spiral (considering outcomes) until it reaches the top levels with participation from focus groups. This graphic is useful for schools to plot their position on the professional development continuum.

4. Puma, M., Raphael, J. (2001) Evaluating standards based professional development for teachers: a handbook for practitioners. Washington D.C.: The Urban Institute.

Puma and Raphael make the claim that there is no “right way” to evaluate professional development. Instead, they determined that PLCs should examine the immediate and final outcomes they wish to achieve. This handbook is constructed in a very easy to read format and gives practical suggestions on engaging stakeholders and data collection.