Research engagement and practitioner enquiry has become an integral part of our approach to continuous professional learning and to the performance management process. It is part of a culture of research based, joint practice development aiming to embed ‘best’ practice and cultivate ‘next’ practice across our school. There has been a significant journey in mindsets and attitudes, from a limited understanding of the role of research in professional development, to a firm belief that research engagement is an entitlement which has a considerable impact on the practice of individuals and of the collective.
Joint Practice Development (JPD) and Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
After a review of our approach to CPD it was clear that it was having a limited impact on school development priorities, professional practice and most importantly outcome for children. Staff were attending training and development events and despite there being structures in place for dissemination there was limited evidence of impact on for instance improved changes to teaching and learning. It became clear that a new approach was needed; however it was first necessary to explore our current approach and consider current research into effective models of professional learning.
An audit of professional development activity identified two clear strands:
- compliance led activity, eg First Aid, Fire Marshall training, food hygiene etc.
- pedagogical development linked to subjects, leadership and teaching and learning.
The focus of the review would be that of pedagogical activity and reviewing how to develop a model of professional learning that would impact demonstrably on practice and outcomes.
A review of literature and research suggested that our current approach relied heavily on an ‘empty vessel’ model where staff attended training and development sessions which were facilitator led. There was little opportunity for staff to share their own knowledge, skills and experiences. Hargreaves, (2012) asserts that professional development is “less about attending conferences and courses and more about school-based, peer-to-peer activities in which development is fused with routine practice”. It became apparent that we needed to develop an approach to professional leaning that relied more on ‘explicit rational discovery’, rather than ‘tacit rational discovery’. We needed to move from professional development approaches that do not recognise previous knowledge and experience or value discussion to one that explicitly encourages collective discourse and collegial support (Palmer, 2004). As suggested by Aristotle “collective deliberation by the many is always preferable to the isolated deliberation of the individual” (Carr, 1998, p71)
Joint Practice Development (JPD), is described by Hargreaves (2012) as an activity that captures the essential features of professional development. It is a joint activity that values interaction and prior knowledge, that focusses on practice development, not simply listening to how things can be done but amending and changing practice as part of the process. Evidence strongly suggested that this JPD approach strongly enhanced professional development and was far more effective and powerful in changing practice than individual CPD activity (Stoll, Harris and Handscomb., 2012 and Cordingley, Bell, Isham, Evans, and Firth 2005).