RATIONALE ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

 

Professional Learning is the deliberate act of learning new skills to develop in a professional and personal sense (Fullan and Hargreaves, 2016). It is an integral part of the teaching profession as it encapsulates to process of learning new information or skills to build the competencies and commitment to being a successful educator (Fullan and Hargreaves, 2016).  Fullan and Hargreaves (2016) outlined that the “essence” (p. 5) of successful professional learning can be rationalised to include; collaborative approaches between educators, being guided by data and research and being driven for a collective impact.

 

In terms of collaborative approaches to professional learning, Mansfield and Thompson (2016) wrote that professional learning should be enacted through authentic experiences that integrate teacher learning into classrooms. This notion of embedded practice can enhance professional learning outcomes as it supports teachers in applying their learning into practice through “concrete tasks of teaching, assessment and observation” (Mansfield & Thompson, 2016, p. 668). Therefore, professional learning should be an active process where teachers incorporate new skills or knowledge into their daily practice (Darling-Hammond, Hyler & Gardner, 2017).

 

Furthermore, it is important that professional learning is articulated through evidence so that professional learning aligns with gaps in teaching and learning outcomes. The use of “evidence-based feedback” (Coggshall et al., 2012, p. 2) through assessments and data can indicate when there may be a demand for professional learning in assisting teachers to understand areas in their practice that can be improved. Additionally, it is important that professional learning is informed by the evidence of current research on which practices can best support the learning of different students (Fullan and Hargreaves, 2016). Professional learning should also incorporate processes of reflective evaluation so that educators can judge when and where professional learning is needed to improve teaching (Antinluoma, Ilomäki, Lahti-Nuuttila & Toom, 2018).

 

There are different types of professional learning, including formal learning; training courses, modules and conferences, as well as more informal modes; social media and classroom observation, which also apply to different types of settings (Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), 2020). The need for different types of professional learning should be based on evidence to indicate what type of professional learning may be needed to maintain and enhance the standard of teaching to meet the needs of students (Antinluoma et al., 2018). For example, professional learning might be undertaken to support the learning of a particular student through more informal methods based on the evidence produced from a particular student, in comparison to a larger scale that might be implemented through a school-wide practice. An example was the introduction of The Australian Students Wellbeing Framework that was introduced into schools which is an example of large-scale professional learning that was developed from a body of evidence outlining the school-wide requirement for better safety, well-being and learning for schools (Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment, 2020). Teachers must engage in multiple types of professional learning as a method of continuous development for their practice.

 

According to Dr Lawrence Ingvarson, a professional community is “a group of professionals who regularly and systematically use evidence to review how well their practices align with current professional standards and meet the needs of students” (AITSL, 2020, n.p.). The establishment of a professional community is an effective way to foster professional learning as teachers can regularly learn from each other through collaboratively evaluating how to improve learning (Antinluoma et al., 2018). Collaboration is a necessary aspect of professional learning as it encourages dialogue not only between the teachers themselves but also school leadership, which can contribute to whole-school improvement (Department of Education, n.d.). Valuing the collaboration of professional learning in this context can promote a collective impact, outlining that educational stakeholders have a collective responsibility to meet the demands to improve education.