Action Overview: Develop the Professional Learning Systems (PLS) System

This set of resources is designed to help educators develop a professional learning system.

Introduction

In Action Overview: Creating Culture, leadership teams began backward mapping the theory of action by setting a goal for the equitable academic and experiential outcomes for learners and identifying the necessary changes in teaching and learning environments and educator knowledge, skills and dispositions to make that goal attainable. In this action, leadership teams continue the process by setting up the professional learning system that will allow for the necessary changes to occur to meet the student goals by:

What standards does the professional learning system need in order to be successful?

The PLS needs to be grounded in a set of professional learning standards, such as those outlined by Learning Forward:

These standards for professional learning help to define quality indicators that will guide the system and take into account the needs of both educators and learners.

As leadership teams define the system that will provide the learning educators need to improve instruction and meet their goal for students, they need to consider resources, outcomes and leadership by outlining the:

The principles for the professional learning system determined by the leadership team should focus on building habits among adults through privatization of practice, supporting openness and collaboration and honoring inquiry in order to transform instructional practices (Education & Society Program, The Aspen Institute). This will ensure educators have the support needed to employ effective instructional practices to best meet the needs of all students.

What opportunities will drive the System?

With the principles in place, the leadership team should identify the opportunities that will provide the learning experiences educators need to improve teaching and learning and meet the student outcome goal(s). These opportunities should integrate theories and research to achieve the intended outcomes while moving away from opportunities that are more ‘one and done’, ‘sit and get’, and/or that solely rely on third parties to facilitate workshops to instead facilitate opportunities that will build deeper learning for educators and develop a stronger skillset that impacts student achievement.

The Effective Professional Development report from the Learning Policy Institute recommends professional learning opportunities that:

When identifying the opportunities the leadership team should incorporate various stakeholders in the decision-making process for determining:

Every site should have teachers and administrators with expertise and experience who have significant responsibility for facilitating adult learning and for ensuring supporting conditions for professional learning are in place (The Aspen Institute).

Suggested Activities

How do educators use Portal resources to develop the professional learning system?

Develop a deeper understanding of transformative professional learning: Activity Directions: Powerful Professional Learning

Related Content

Equity Commitments

Sources

Aspen Institute. (2018). Developing a professional learning system for adults in service of student learning (Publication). Washington, DC: Author.

doi: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/developing-professional-learning-system/

Killion, J. (2013). Comprehensive professional learning system: A workbook for states and

districts. Oxford, OH: Learning Forward.

Education & Society Program. Developing a Professional Learning System for Adults in Service Learning. The Aspen Institute, Washington D.C.

Fullan, M., & Quinn, J. (2016). Coherence. Thousand Oaks, CA.: Corwin

Learning Forward Standards for Professional Learning https://learningforward.org/standards-for-professional-learning

Back to Strategy Overview: Professional Learning System.