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Teacher Learning and Leadership: Connecting Teachers, Policy Makers, and Researchers

Mon, April 8, 4:10 to 5:40pm, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Floor: 700 Level, Room 706

Abstract

Purposes and Perspectives:
For decades, researchers have been writing about how to improve schools and teacher quality (e.g. Guskey & Huberman, 1995; McLaughlin & Talbert, 2006). Many have continued to concentrate on the idea that teachers are really at the center of student learning, as well as prime participants in their own learning (Berry, 2013; Cochran, Smith & Lytle, 1993; Evers & Kneyber, 2016; Macdonald & Shirley, 2009). We propose that teachers’ learning and leadership requires enabling teachers to be leaders of educational change rather than solely the subjects or recipients of externally mandated reforms.
In this paper, we discuss Ontario’s Teacher Learning and Leadership Program (TLLP) – a joint government-union initiative with goals to advance teachers’ self-directed professional learning, teacher leadership, and knowledge exchange. The TLLP offers a powerful approach to teachers’ professional development that advances the concept and application of the combination of human, social and decisional capital to form “professional capital” (Hargreaves and Fullan, 2012) with positive benefits for teachers’ work and for students’ learning.
Methods and Data:
This presentation brings together a research team, senior union and government officials to discuss the integration of research, policy, and practice in the development and success of the program. The discussion is based on a longitudinal mixed-methods study (Authors, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018). The study involves mixed-methods research, including
• observations and evaluations of annual provincial events for TLLP participants (total of 10 events),
• descriptive analysis of TLLP Final Reports from 9 cohorts (788 projects) and an in-depth analysis of a 20% sample (157 projects);
• annual focus groups with key government and union officials involved in the TLLP (total of 11 focus groups),
• survey of former TLLP project leaders from Cohorts 1-7 (243 respondents, 47% response rate),
• analysis of 19 vignettes written by TLLP project leaders;
• case studies of 3 TLLP projects,
• annual mini pre-/post-surveys of TLLP project leaders (Cohorts 7-10);
• annual analysis of TLLP online and social networking activity (Cohorts 7-10).
Results and Significance:
Our findings reveal a great deal about what teachers learn, how they share their knowledge with their peers both inside and outside their schools, and how their leadership skills and capacities develop when they are in charge of professional development of, by and for teachers. Several main themes emerge across the work of these teachers, revealing not only the strength of the TLLP specifically, but also the complex nature and wider lessons for professional development organized in this way.
Our evidence overwhelmingly attests to the power of teachers leading their own and other teachers’ professional learning and sharing their knowledge and practices to support wider learning and improvement across education systems. These findings do not refute the role and importance of researchers, educators, and experts from the outside; however, in addition, the TLLP demonstrates the positive impact on teacher learning and leadership when professional learning starts with those who do the work of teaching and is embedded in the development of, with, and by teachers as the leaders of their own learning.

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