The impact of collaborative CPD in the classroom
February 2004
Introduction
What do we know about collaborative Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and its impact on teaching and learning?
To read a one-page summary of this RoM, go to the overview.
Philippa Cordingley, Miranda Bell, Barbara Rundell and Donald Evans Centre for the Use of Research and Evidence in Education (CUREE), June 2003.
The full review can be accessed at the EPPI-Centre Research Evidence in Education Library (REEL):
http://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/EPPIWeb/home.aspx?&page=/reel/reviews.htm
Professional development in teaching has never had such a high profile. Schools and their staff have been involved in numerous professional development programmes, many of them accompanying major government-led initiatives such as the National Literacy and Numeracy strategies. How can such professional development programmes be thoroughly evaluated in terms of outcomes for teachers and for students?
This month we have chosen to look at a recently published systematic review of studies into whether and how collaborative Continuing Professional Development (CPD) affects both teaching and learning. Collaborative CPD was initially defined as teachers working with at least one other related professional on more than a one-off basis. In fact, in all studies teachers collaborated with an external specialist and, in all but two, with colleague teachers for a period of at least twelve weeks. The review explored the question:
“How does collaborative Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for teachers of the 5-16 age range affect teaching and learning?”
The reviewers sifted systematically through over 13,000 studies to find those that could answer their question in terms of both teacher and pupil outcomes. The findings are described in terms that teachers will readily identify with, such as the impact of the CPD on their knowledge, understanding, skills, beliefs, practice and attitudes – and, excitingly, on pupil motivation and achievement. The review also found a number of distinctive elements of the CPD, such as peer support, which were linked to successful outcomes for both teachers and students.
The findings of this review have already attracted government and GTC policy interest and helped to influence plans for helping local education authorities, schools and teachers build their professional development capacity. The review also raised a number of issues for practitioners to consider. It offers insights into those features of CPD which were found to be effective, ranging from peer observation and feedback to external expertise and coaching. It should prove helpful to teachers who are thinking about planning their professional development.
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