Using Evidence in the Classroom for Professional

Learning Ontario Education Research Symposium

17 - 19 February 2010

Helen TimperleyUniversity of Auckland

Required Conditions

• Relevant evidence

• Beliefs, knowledge and skills of teachers

• Beliefs, knowledge and skills of school leaders

• Relationships of respect and challenge

Relevant Evidence

• Evidence from own students (formal and informal)

• Evidence of own practice (link to evidence from students)

• Evidence from others’ research to inform practice

Beliefs, knowledge and skills of teachers

• Inquiry habit of mind– Evidence as a source of information

for teaching and learning (not labels for students)

• Knowledge and skills– The meaning of the evidence for practice– Sufficient PCK from research to make relevant

adjustments to practice

Beliefs, knowledge and skills of leaders

• Inquiry habit of mind– Evidence as a source of information for

teaching, learning and leading

• Knowledge and skills– The meaning of the evidence for teaching and

leadership practice– Sufficient PCK from research to make relevant

adjustments to practice – Skills to engage in difficult conversations about

the evidence with teachers

Relationships of Respect and Challenge

Systems change using evidence requires learning together in relationships that:

– Probe meanings, challenge interpretation of the evidence and underpinning reasoning

– Respect the capacity of all to learn and improve

Relationships of Respect and Challenge

Inquiry Habit of MindUsing Relevant Evidence

Evidence-informed Conversations

Evidence-Informed Conversations

Earl and Timperley (2000)

How the Process Can Work: Two Sources of Evidence

THE THEORYProfessional Learning and Development Best

Evidence Synthesis iteration (2008)

THE PRACTICELiteracy Professional Development Project (LPDP)

in New Zealand– 300 schools– On average 2-3 times expected rate of progress– Bottom 20% 3-4 times expected rate of progress

What knowledge

and skills do our students

need? What knowledge and skills do we

as teachers need?

What has been the

impact of our changed actions? Deepen

professional knowledge and

refine skillsEngage

students in new learning

experiences

Teacher inquiry and knowledge-building cycleto promote valued student outcomes

Evidence from Students• What do the students already know?

• How adequate are the sources of evidence we have used?

• What do the students need to learn and do?

• How do we build on what they know?

Within the LPDP Project

• Students assessed using curriculum-based assessment

• Facilitated interpretation of how to score it and what the results mean with teachers and leaders

- at the same time as…

What knowledge

and skills do our students

need? What knowledge and skills do we

as teachers need?

What has been the

impact of our changed actions? Deepen

professional knowledge and

refine skillsEngage students in new learning experiences

Teacher inquiry and knowledge-building cycleto promote valued student outcomes

Evidence of Effectiveness of Own Knowledge and Practice

• How we have contributed to existing student outcomes?

• What do we already know that we can use to promote improved outcomes for students?

• What do we need to learn and do to promote these outcomes?

• What sources of evidence / knowledge can we utilise?

Within the LPDP Project

• With expert facilitators, the teachers:

• Relate student data to programme emphases;

• Respond to a scenario of (mostly ineffective) practice and discuss results;

• Discuss strengths and weaknesses of practice from classroom observations.

What knowledge

and skills do our students

need? What knowledge and skills do we

as teachers need?

What has been the

impact of our changed actions? Deepen

professional knowledge and

refine skillsEngage students in new learning experiences

Teacher inquiry and knowledge-building cycleto promote valued student outcomes

Deepen Professional Knowledge and Refine Skills

Important considerations:• Consider research findings about different

approaches– Integrate knowledge, skills and theory

• Curriculum, assessment, pedagogy

– Focus on the teaching / learning links;

• Discuss existing ideas about students, assessment, curriculum and how to teach it

Three Fields of Knowledge(NCSL)

What Is KnownThe knowledge from theory, research and

best practice

What We KnowThe knowledge of

those involved.What practitioners

know

New KnowledgeThe new knowledge that we can create together through

collaborative work

Within the LPDP Project

• Students are the “touchstone” throughout;

• Understand theory and practice – research on pedagogical content knowledge;

• Develop adaptive expertise;

• Engage teachers’ beliefs (theories of practice)

Promoting change in teachers’ beliefs and assumptions

Develop new

knowledge and skills

Current assumptions challenged

Make small changes to practices

Observe resulting improvements in

student outcomes

What knowledge

and skills do our students

need? What knowledge and skills do we

as teachers need?

What has been the

impact of our changed actions? Deepen

professional knowledge and

refine skillsEngage students in new learning experiences

Teacher inquiry and knowledge-building cycleto promote valued student outcomes

Judging Impact

• What evidence is there that any changes made promote our students’ learning and well-being?

• What reasons lie behind improvement or lack of it?– Means the ongoing use of evidence on a

daily, weekly, term by term and annual basis• Using a range of assessment tools

The use of evidence for professional learning CANNOT

be a single event

• Pervades all aspects of the cycle– Identifying what students know and need to

learn– Identifying what teachers know and need to

learn– Deciding what might be most effective– Checking impact of changes to practice

Integration of Evidence

Evidence from the classroom (students and teachers)

PLUS

Evidence of effective practice

Beliefs, knowledge and Skills of School Leaders

• Teachers cannot do it alone

• To lead effectively, leaders must know enough themselves to:– Use evidence to work through the inquiry and

knowledge building cycles with teachers– Help teachers to use the range of evidence to

improve practice

If Leaders are to Use Evidence to Lead Learning

Must know their class of teachers using evidence to determine:– What the teachers already know and do well

and what they need to learn– What the leaders need to learn and do to

make a difference to teacher learning and student outcomes

– How to engage the teachers to build on what they already know and can do

– How to check impact

What knowledge

and skills do our teachers

need? What knowledge and skills do we as leaders need?

What has been the

impact of our changed actions? Deepen

professional knowledge and

refine skillsEngage teachers in new learning experiences

Leaders’ inquiry and knowledge-building cycleto promote valued teaching practices and

student outcomes

Within the LPDP

• Effective leaders – Learned to interpret evidence of student

learning and teaching practice • And have the challenging conversations

– Recognise their need to learn in order to teach others

• Less effective leaders– Focused on structures and processes to

promote others’ learning

Conclusion

• Teachers can use evidence to improve teaching practice in ways that works for students

• Requires – Evidence from the classroom

• Student learning• Teaching practice

– Evidence from others’ research to inform change– Support from their leaders to:

• Develop the inquiry habit of mind, knowledge and skills needed to learn from evidence

References

Earl, L. & Timperley, H. (2009). Professional Learning Conversations: Challenges in Using Evidence. Springer.

Timperley, H. & Parr, J. (2009). Chain of Influence from Policy to Practice in the New Zealand Literacy Strategy. Research Papers in Education, 24(2), 135-154,

Timperley, H., Wilson, A., Barrar, H. & Fung, I. (2008) Teacher Professional Learning and Development: A Best Evidence Iteration. http://educationcounts.edcentre.govt.na/goto/BES