Build the capacity of educators, leaders and instructional teams to put the ISTE Standards into practice by facilitating active learning and providing meaningful feedback.
Feedback on Professional Development
LLT 590 Professional Practice I mentioned in one of my previous writings that I began teaching professional development in my own School District because I had gotten to the point where there was very little content that I found relative. Not that there isn't more to learn but I feel that PD is not a one-size-fits-all. There are PD activities that I have to take part in and others where it is my choice of whether I want to provide PD or take a course someone else is offering. As an art educator I have sat through hours of PD that has absolutely nothing to do with my content-area. It is my opinion that this is a completely unnecessary activity and a waste of time. We are teaching in an era where there is a continual flow of changing Technologies and information. it's important that Educators stay networked and those who have something new to share have the opportunity to do so. There is no reason any teacher should sit through a session of PD feeling as though they have thrown a day away to time that could have been better spent. That being said I feel an important part of any professional development opportunity is the ability to provide feedback about the experience. Providing others with the ability to evaluate the content and the activities they are being asked to sit through is important. The data gathered from meaningful feedback will help gauge whether teachers are really learning something from their experience or whether they find it to be a waste of time. That feedback should be evaluated and used for designing the next professional development opportunity. I like to include an exit survey with any PD course that I offer. Going forward I believe I will choose to not collect names or email addresses unless someone has a specific question and wishes to be contacted. I think an anonymous feedback form would allow educators to be more honest about their reflections. Perhaps instead of multiple choice feedback forms have Educators reflect on one thing they found that was very valuable about the professional development and also include one saying that was not helpful or something they would change. |
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