ACTION IN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
Let's work together.
APL customizes our consulting services based on the unique needs of your group and the input of your key stakeholders.
We can mix and match across the columns as needed.
ASSESS
-
Progam evaluation
-
Logic model development
-
Program evaluation
-
Summative research reports
-
Action research
PLAN
-
Grant planning/proposal writing
-
Values identification
-
Needs assessment
-
Strategic planning
LEARN
-
On-line or in-person professional development
-
Asynchronous or synchronous on-line or hybrid
-
Large or small group professional development programming [planning and/or implementation]
-
Coaching for professional learning teams
Project Highlights
PLAN: Needs assessment and strategic planning
Client: Wake County Public Schools (WCPSS)
We worked with the social studies department in WCPSS to support their application for the U.S. Dept. of Education Teaching American History grant. This began by identifying a 7-person working group that included district level researchers and specialists and classroom teachers.
We recommended the nominal group technique, which the group followed to structure the working group meetings and to begin to identify key issues. Collectively they conducted a gap analysis.
Based on their findings from the working group, a survey was developed and deployed to the district’s 300 teachers. The survey results were then used to guide focus group interviews with teachers. Finally, the results were synthesized with the findings from the working group and a set of core goals were identified.
These goals formed the core structure of the strategic plan that was then developed to guide professional learning for social studies teachers in the district.
LEARN: Professional Development Programming
Client: Maryland Humanities
Maryland Humanities produces educational content for K-12 educators through funding from the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Program via their ThinkPort Inquiry Kits.
They partnered with APL to learn more about how teachers were using these kits and the subsequent impact on students. We designed a series of synchronous and asynchronous on-line professional development modules for middle and high school teachers focused on using the inquiry kits and conducting action research.
Over the course of the academic year we supported the teachers as they integrated the inquiry kits into their teaching and collected student outcomes data. APL conducted a wrap-around study to monitor progress as well as to synthesize across the teachers’ findings. The findings were used to improve the inquiry kits as well as to develop future professional development programs.
ASSESS: Research + Evaluation
Client: ASSIST Nanotechnology Engineering Research Center funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF)
The Center for Advanced Self-Powered Systems of Integrated Sensors and Technologies (ASSIST) Nanotechnology Engineering Research Center funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF)
APL worked with the ASSIST center to create a logic model to guide the evaluation and assessment of their educational programming. For the ASSIST Center educational programming included undergraduate education [course work, REU programs, and professional development], graduate education [course work, independent research, professional development, student leadership], and K-12 outreach to teachers [RET programs] and students [Young Scholars and after school programming]. In order to conduct the multi-faceted evaluation plan, it was necessary for the evaluation team to work closely with the program director.
We developed a variety of quantitative and qualitative data collection tools and analyzed the findings on a continuous basis. We provided formative findings throughout the year and a summative report prior to the NSF site visit each year.
