Many school districts are acknowledging staff development's dismal record. Inservice programs traditionally operate on a deficit training model, promote awareness without classroom strategies, and are offered by traveling "experts." Teachers need time and opportunity to direct their own professional development program and "mess…

Changes in education have direct implications for the role and responsibility of professional development. This eighth guidebook in a series of nine video conferences examines the meaning of professional development in light of recent educational innovations. Included are an outline of new priorities and expanded functions of professional…

Asserts that an essential element in the school improvement process is the creation of a professional staff-development program. Outlines recent literature that offer guidelines for implementing these programs, and addresses program and participant evaluation. Contains 19 references. (VWC)

Describes school restructuring themes that may be promoted through staff development, including developing a purpose and shared vision, challenging traditional norms of schooling, creating a collaborative school culture, establishing new roles in school governance, and encouraging reflective practice and critical inquiry. Addresses the role of…

This practicum project used organized professional development to increase involvement of teachers at a preK-8 school in the school's reform process. All members of the school community actively participated in planning, data collecting, and sharing of pertinent reform information. The 3-month staff development intervention consisted of three…

What urban middle school principals engaged in school reform felt they needed to know and the strategies that maximize their learning were studied with 23 principals involved in extended professional development. Principals valued the components of staff development that have been supported by the National Staff Development Council. (SLD)

In recent years, professional development for public school educators has come to be seen as a key component of school improvement plans, particularly large-scale systemic change programs. This Digest outlines what research and best practice suggest about effective professional development for elementary and secondary teachers working in…

Asserts that high turnover in educational administrative personnel, especially principals, necessitates that attention and resources be allocated to administrative staff development. Recommends peer coaching as a way for principals to help each other, and presents a model for implementing a staff-development program. (VWC)

Seven conference papers discuss English language training and political development in Asia, including language project design and evaluation, counterparting, sustainability, appropriate technology, and languages and the politics of development. Papers included are: "Linguistic and Cultural Considerations of Writing ELT Texts for Use in…