| Session Title: Is Working Together Worth It? The Process and Findings of a Longitudinal Evaluation of a Districtwide Professional Learning Community Initiative |
| Expert Lecture Session 565 to be held in BONHAM C on Friday, Nov 12, 10:55 AM to 11:40 AM |
| Sponsored by the Pre-K - 12 Educational Evaluation TIG |
| Chair(s): |
| Rebecca Gajda Woodland, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, rebecca.gajda@educ.umass.edu |
| Presenter(s): |
| Rebecca Gajda Woodland, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, rebecca.gajda@educ.umass.edu |
| Discussant(s): |
| Mark Zito, East Hartford Public School District, zito.mf@easthartford.org |
| Abstract: In this session, Dr. Gajda, a former secondary school teacher and administrator, will present the Teacher Collaboration Improvement Framework (Gajda, 2008; Gajda & Koliba, 2007; Koliba & Gajda, 2009), which is a field-tested framework for systematically evaluating the quality and improving the performance of teacher collaboration in K-12 school districts. This framework has been utilized to formatively and summatively assess the attributes and achievements of three year professional learning community initiative in one New England school district. Evaluation methods included on-site observation of teacher teams, interviews with district administrators and teachers, and a comprehensive district-wide annual survey. Findings of the evaluation, including the correlation between quality of teacher collaboration, improvements in instruction, and advances in student learning will be showcased. In addition, participants will learn will how district personnel have used the process and findings of the evaluation to make decisions about how to improve supervision of teacher collaboration and professional development. |