5 Leading professional learning development (PLD)

One of the key roles for leaders is to support the professional learning of others. As well as being one of the common characteristics of improvement in Estyn’s Leadership and Primary School Improvement report, effective professional learning has a number of potentially positive outcomes for both the individual and organisation. This includes the possibility of enhanced outcomes for learners, which is a priority for any school.

It is important that professional learning development (PLD) activity is consistent with organisational goals. It can be defined and occur in a number of ways, including:

• continuous professional development
• in-service training
• mentoring
• professional learning communities
• coaching.

It is important to understand that each of these approaches can be utilised; but it’s equally important to consider the quality of the experience and how to evaluate the impact of the activity.

Evaluation should be considered when planning the activity, to ensure that financial resources invested in PLD are cost-effective and strategic. Historically, many forms of professional courses had an instant form of evaluation, often in the form of a tick sheet accompanied with a few comments. This was generally quite superficial and referred to by some academics as a ‘happy sheet’. It would provide only impressionistic and anecdotal information, with no consideration of impact over time being factored in.

There are now more in-depth approaches to evaluating professional learning: these include Thomas R. Guskey’s model, which sees the impact of PLD being achieved at five potential levels:

• participants’ reactions
• participants’ learning
• organisational support and change
• participants’ use of new knowledge and skills
• pupil learning outcomes.

According to Guskey, the main goal of professional development is to improve outcomes for pupils. He suggests that the sensible approach is to start where you want to be and work through the levels, always keeping in mind the potential outcome on the pupil. So when evaluating PLD, ‘pupil learning outcomes’ is the first and most important consideration, and ‘participants’ reactions’ – the so-called ‘happy sheet’ – is the least.

In other words: the professional development is driven by the needs of the pupils.