The Influence of Contextual Factors on the Sustainability of Professional Development Outcomes

• In Event: 46.040 - Future Directions for Professional Development

Abstract

This study investigated how contextual factors influenced the sustainability of outcomes from a 3-year, state-funded professional development program that provided science assistance for K-2 teachers in small school districts. The research used a case-study approach with a purposive sample of five schools that varied in participating teachers’ instructional time in science several years after the funding period. The primary data sources were surveys and interviews conducted with teachers and principals two and three years after the end of the professional development. Findings highlight the influence of principal support, resources, collegial support, personal commitment, and external factors. The research holds practical implications for enhancing long-term sustainability of professional development outcomes in science education.

Authors

• Judith H. Sandholtz, University of California - Irvine

• Cathy Ringstaff, WestEd