Learning Forward
Equity and excellence in teaching and learning.
RESEARCH
How to apply professional learning research to your work
By Elizabeth Foster
February 2019
Vol. 40 No. 1
The first research column of 2019, at the beginning of this magazine’s 40th year, is a good time to pause and take stock of the state of research on professional learning. Research has always been important to our field, but we have a new opportunity to elevate its importance, thanks to recent policies and priorities — including the evidence provisions for professional learning initiatives in the Every Student Succeeds Act (see article on p. 12), which increases demand among state and district policymakers for evidence-based strategies and practices. In addition, we are seeing growing interest among philanthropy and practitioners in how to best use and support a range of research strategies, such as complementing extant studies with evidence from action research and improvement science approaches
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LET US HEAR FROM YOU
Do you have thoughts about this study or have recommendations of other research you’d like to see us cover? Email me at elizabeth.foster@learningforward.org.
RESOURCES
Existing Research
- All Things PLC: www.allthingsplc.info/articles-research
- Digital Promise: researchmap.digitalpromise.org
- Oxford Bibliographies: learningforward.org/publications/oxford-bibliographies
Partnerships
- National Network for Education Research Practice Partnerships: nnerpp.rice.edu
Standards for Professional Learning
- Learning Forward: learningforward.org/standards-for-professional-learning
- Standards Assessment Inventory: consulting.learningforward.org/consulting-services/standards-assessment-inventory
The evidence base
- State Supports for Title II Implementation (webinar): learningforward.org/learning-opportunities/webinars/webinar-archive
- Title II Impact Story Survey: https://bit.ly/2FpIrqj
Elizabeth Foster is the senior vice president of research and strategy at Learning Forward. She leads the organization’s research efforts for partnerships, programs, and fundraising. Elizabeth co-wrote the Standards for Professional Learning (2022) with Tracy Crow and now facilitates learning sessions about the standards and develops resources that support their use and implementation.
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