Conceptual Framework
1. Understanding the Needs of the Target Audience
A professional development program designed for beginning high school chemistry
teachers is unlikely to meet the needs of a group of experienced elementary
teachers, or vice versa. Understanding the learning needs of a particular group
of teachers is an essential part of the design process. Some professional development
providers do an initial needs assessment by finding out what teachers already
know or asking teachers about their priority needs, either formally or informally.
Others observe classes to form their own impressions of teacher learning needs.
In either case, it is important for providers to realize that teachers' concerns
may differ from their learning needs and to take that into account when planning
a professional development program. For example, if teachers are concerned about
preparing students for an end-of-grade test, they are likely to be less amenable
to learning about innovative approaches or content that is not included in those
tests.
Continue: 2. Deciding
on the Purposes of Professional Development
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