Graduate Certificate in Professional Development

Effective professional development is foundational in improving a school system’s ability to raise student achievement. Education professionals in this course examine the history and research that supports the need for ongoing professional learning for teachers, principals, and all adults who interact with students in P–12 schools. They use case studies of schools and districts that have achieved results to learn the standards of exemplary professional-development programs and analyze the attributes necessary for success. Education professionals also have the opportunity to explore the roles and responsibilities of professional developers inside and outside the classroom as well as career paths for developing leadership skills in the area of adult and student learning.

Professional development that ensures quality teaching for all students is based on a model of continuous improvement that is data-driven and grounded in research-based practices. In this course, education professionals examine a variety of professional-development models and select and plan the most appropriate approach to support their goal. Using adult-learning theory as a foundation, education professionals explore models of adult learning and change and cycles of improvement. They also design strategies to build strong professional-development programs that include planning, delivering, following-up, and evaluating influence on teacher practices and student learning.

Evaluating the influence of professional-development efforts is crucial to ongoing success. Education professionals in this course explore systemic and comprehensive approaches for linking professional learning to student learning and using data to make informed decisions on how to improve the practices of educators and assess the influence on student learning. Using logic theories, they learn how to collect and analyze data from student work and teacher practice to make informed decisions that lead to continuous improvement. They engage in coursework that emphasizes communicating and disseminating results to multiple constituents within the school system. They also focus on system approaches that promote shared leadership in continuing, improving, and sustaining effective professional development at the district, school, and classroom levels.

Delivering and sustaining professional development requires an understanding of culture and change. In this course, education professionals develop skills to set expectations, facilitate professional learning, support individual growth, and build collaborative teams. Using change theory, they learn to monitor and support adult learning by organizing professional learning communities that focus on student needs and school goals. They explore strategies for delivering and providing continuous follow-up and support of professional learning. Education professionals also learn how to use collaboration, facilitation, coaching, and mentoring skills to involve colleagues, staff, families, and other key stakeholders in making decisions that are based on research-based practices and support a culture of learning that involves educators, students, parents, and community.