posted by:
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Kalyani Raghavan
on March 14, 1998
at 8:05AM
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subject:
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what changes in classroom practice with pd
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I am Kalyani Raghavan and this is a follow up to John's and Bryan's postings.
ASSET project provides three major types of professional development opportunities. Instructional strategies training includes workshops that introduce the Focus, Explore, Reflect, Apply (FERA)learning cycle, questioning techniques, constructivism, and alternative assessments. In module training sessions, teachers become familiar with topics and activities included in specific STC or FOSS modules. The third type consists of enhancements that promote networking, including community extension options, the resource roadtrip, and the leadership conference. The 22 teachers observed last year were classified into two groups of low and high involvement in ASSET activities. To qualify for the high group, a teacher must have participated in two or more sessions of each of two types of training. Teachers in the High group have participated in two or more sessions from at least two of the three classes of training. Using this criteria, there were eleven teachers in each group. The two groups were compared using the Horizon classroom observation protocol, including design, implementation, content, culture, and likely impact on students. There were certain aspects in which the high group fared better - teachers appeared more confident, lesson pace, and allowing students a bit more latitude in their explorations and were more likely to use summaries or discussion to interconnect various lesson activities. In high- group classrooms higher order questions were occasionally posed, but they were almost invariably answered by the teacher. However, generally intellectual engagement of students was low and teachers' expectations of students seemed unexpectedly low with students rarely challenged to think deeply about, elaborate, or defend their ideas.
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