A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Designing Effective Development: Lessons from the Eisenhower Program - December 1999

Chapter 3

Summary and Conclusions

In this chapter, we have drawn on our nation sample of teachers who participated in Eisenhower-assisted activities to undertake a number of analyses. First, we have drawn on the data to describe the characteristics of these activities and to assess the extent to which these characteristics reflect the intent of the authorizing legislation and the descriptions of best practice in the literature. Second, we have drawn on the data to examine the degree to which Eisenhower-assisted activities have resulted in enhanced knowledge and skills and improved teaching practices, as reported by the teachers in our sample. We have used our data to identify the relationship between the characteristics of Eisenhower-assisted activities and outcomes for teachers.

Our results indicate that, on the average, supported activities share some but not all of the characteristics of high-quality professional development identified in the literature. Activities supported through the SAHE component of the program tend, on average, to be of substantial duration, and many SAHE-grantee activities focus on mathematics and science content and provide appropriate active learning opportunities for teachers. Some activities supported by the district component of the program also share these elements of high quality, but, on average, district activities tend to be somewhat less consistent with the dimensions of high quality identified in the literature.

Many teachers who participate in Eisenhower-assisted activities report enhanced knowledge and skill as a result of participation, as well as changes in teaching practice. This is especially true for SAHE-grantee activities; somewhat fewer teachers in the district component of the program report gains in knowledge and skills or changes in teaching practice.

Our analysis of the relationship between the characteristics of Eisenhower-assisted activities and teacher outcomes indicates that several structural and core features play a strong role in influencing teacher outcomes. In particular, the duration of activities has a strong influence on the degree to which the activities are able to provide high-quality experiences for teachers. Both the time span over which activities are spread and the number of contact hours of professional development provided have a substantial independent influence on the core features of the professional development provided. In addition, the organizational form or type of the activity also has an influence on the core features of the experience provided. On average, reform types of activities, such as mentoring and study groups, tend to provide higher quality experiences than traditional activities, such as workshops, although there is a substantial range of experiences within each type.

Our data indicate that three core features of professional development have an important influence on the extent to which participation enhances teachers? knowledge and skills and leads to improved teaching practices, as reported by teachers in our sample. In particular, positive teacher outcomes are related to the extent to which activities focus on subject matter content, provide active learning opportunities for teachers, and nurture a coherent program of professional development that is connected to other aspects of teachers? work lives.

Finally, the features of professional development we have identified in our model help explain why SAHE-grantee activities have more positive effects, as reported by teachers, than district activities. SAHE-grantee activities tend to have longer time spans and provide more hours of professional development than district activities, and this in turn permits SAHE-grantee activities to give more emphasis to subject matter content, to provide more active learning opportunities, and to strengthen the coherence of teachers? professional development experiences.

To build on this analysis of teachers? report of their experiences in Eisenhower-supported activities, the next chapter turns to an analysis of district coordinators? descriptions of their Eisenhower-supported activities.
-###-

[What Features of Professional Development Make a Difference for Teacher Outcomes?]

[Chapter 4 - District "Portfolios" of Eisenhower-Assisted Professional Development Activities]