In each issue of the "Journal of Staff Development" ("JSD"), senior advisor to Learning Forward author Joellen Killion explores a recent research study to help practitioners understand the impact of particular professional learning practices on student outcomes. Detailed in this issue is a randomized control study in which…

Joellen Killion is senior advisor to Learning Forward. In each issue of JSD, Killion explores a recent research study to help practitioners understand the impact of particular professional learning practices on student outcomes. The study presented here builds on past research about the relationships between teacher practice and beliefs, teacher…

Teachers in rural settings find it difficult to access quality professional development that can improve student science achievement. These teachers are serving the 10 million students, or about 19% percent of the nation's total public school enrollment, who attend school in a rural district. Studies show that long-term, in-depth methods of…

When a university and a major urban district pair up, teachers learn more about science content and how to develop an inquiry-based classroom. More than 8,000 Detroit, Mich., students have felt the change--and show the results in improved science test scores.

In 2003, the Mathematics and Science Unit of the South Carolina Department of Education developed the Mathematics and Science Coaching Initiative. The model--one coach, one school, one content area--requires participating schools to commit to a three-year partnership. The three-year commitment ensures sufficient time for coaching to become an…

South Carolina's technical assistance centers focus on improving low student mathematics and science performance. They provide assistance and professional development to teachers in poor, isolated rural schools. Curriculum Leadership Institutes (which renew and enhance teachers' content knowledge and pedagogy) are a primary part of the centers.…