| Roundtable: An Examination of the Link Between Professional Development, Teacher Learning, and Student Outcomes |
| Roundtable Presentation 645 to be held in the Marble Boardroom on Friday, Nov 7, 3:25 PM to 4:10 PM |
| Sponsored by the Pre-K - 12 Educational Evaluation TIG |
| Presenter(s): |
| Rolanda Bell, Arizona Department of Education, rbell@ade.az.gov |
| Ayesha Boyce, Arizona Department of Education, aboyce@ade.az.gov |
| Abstract: This project offers an explanation of how professional development impacts student reading achievement. Although many researchers have examined factors of effective professional development and how teachers benefit from such training, few researchers have made an empirical connection between imparting knowledge, teacher learning, and student outcomes. The model we propose contends that the relationship between professional development and student achievement is impacted by a teacher's ability to use the content knowledge obtained during professional development to make decisions about the use of instruction strategies. The focus of this project is two-fold: 1) Does professional development impact student achievement and 2) Is the effect of professional development on student achievement facilitated by the teacher’s ability to use the knowledge gained to engage students in activities associated with academic achievement in reading. |