Learning Forward

In collaboration with Canadian researchers and education stakeholders, Learning Forward has launched a research study examining the state of professional learning across Canada. The study’s purpose is to understand the current landscape of educator professional learning throughout Canada and to advance a priority focus on the elements of and conditions […]

With the recent release of the U.S. Department of Education’s draft regulations for implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Learning Forward is encouraging educators to offer their input during the comment period, noting three points in particular that relate to professional learning. The draft regulations include a requirement […]

The Learning Forward Foundation, which supports the development of educators’ capacity to improve student learning through innovation and improvement that transform professional learning, has announced the 2016 winners of its scholarships and grants. Learning Forward Foundation Academy Scholarship supports participation in the Learning Forward Academy for one school-based and one […]

Learning Forward has launched the Redesign PD Community of Practice to support 20 of the nation’s leading school districts and charter management organizations in addressing systemwide educator and student learning priorities. The community engages teams from the districts in identifying their local professional learning challenges and then creating scalable solutions. […]

The “If not a workshop, then what?” list on p. 55 is a popular bookmark and tool for Learning Forward members and learning leaders to use in conversations in school-based teams, with central office staff, and with community members invested in school improvement. At right, we offer nine suggestions for […]

  Facebook Support Teacher Peer Support in Social Network Sites Teaching and Teacher Education, May 2016 What kind of support can teachers find on Facebook? This paper describes six ways in which teachers support one another in online groups. As noted by co-author Nick Kelly, “In a review of existing online communities, […]

The Emphasis is on 
Effective Professional learning, often called professional development, can occur in a formal setting, such as a conference, workshop, or seminar, or in an informal context, such as discussions among colleagues, independent reading and research, observing a colleague’s work, or learning from a peer. (See “Beyond the […]

Dallas, TX – May 31, 2016  —  Learning Forward is pleased to see that the draft regulations for ESSA implementation from the U.S. Department of Education include a requirement for consolidated state plans to describe states’ systems for educator development, retention, and advancement, including how the state will “ensure that […]

Designation recognizes high-quality professional learning practices Dallas, TX – May 27, 2016  —  Learning Forward announces that Carver Middle School in Spartanburg, South Carolina, is the first recipient of the Learning School Designation, in recognition of its commitment to effective and continuous professional learning. Learning Forward collaborates with AdvancED®, a […]