Examine and Discuss Current Attitudes toward Professional Development

The following questionnaire, developed by Cook (1991), can be used by teachers and administrators to clarify attitudes toward professional development:

1. How would you generally describe the nature of professional development in your school or district?

2. How would you describe the professional development formats that are currently being used in your school or district?

3. Who, within the school community, is currently participating in learning through professional development projects and activities?

4. When are professional development activities currently taking place within the day? week? year?

5. Who determines the focus of professional development activities, including the plan, design, and implementation of a particular project? In what ways are teachers involved in this planning and implementation?

6. What is the content focus of professional development projects and activities?

7. How is professional development currently liked to student learning and the new curriculum and evaluation "standards"?

8. How is professional development linked to overall school improvement?

9. How is assessment of teacher performance currently linked to professional development?

10. How is professional development currently funded in your school or district?

11. What other outside agencies or organizations currently provide support for professional development activity in your school or district?

12. How do you involve yourself in continued learning (personal and professional growth and development)?

13. Think about a satisfying personal or professional learning experience that you have had. What do you think made it particularly significant?

14. How does the culture within your school support your ongoing learning and professional growth?

15. In what ways are you involved in "team" learning? How is your school a community of learners?

16. What would you like to see changed about professional development in your school or district? What specific suggestions do you have for the improvement of professional development in your school or district?

17. What do you see as the roadblocks to your professional development "vision"?

18. What ideas or strategies do you have for overcoming the roadblocks and moving toward the improvement of professional development?"

References