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Professional Development Strategies for Promoting Head Start Teacher Effectiveness

Description:
The Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute determined the efficacy of a professional development model where project staff used a research-based adult learning approach to promote Head Start teachers' understanding, adoption, and use of early childhood classroom practices likely to improve child outcomes. The approach, called Participatory Adult Learning Strategy (PALS), involves learners' active participation in learning about, implementing, and evaluating the use of a practice. Participants were teachers and teacher assistants in Head Start classrooms assigned to a training group or control group. Teachers in the training groups were trained on two project components: (1) child learning opportunity characteristics practices, and (2) instructional practices. Classroom organization practices that support teachers' use of practices in each of the two training components also were a focus. In Year 1, the project developed assessment procedures in collaboration with other Head Start University Partners grantees, established measures of fidelity and implementation, and refined methods and measures. In Years 1 through 3 professional development activities were provided, and investigators evaluated teacher characteristics and professional development characteristics that influenced teachers' implementation of the targeted early childhood classroom practices. Preliminary findings indicated that neither the structural features of training (e.g., number of hours) nor teacher characteristics (i.e., age, experience, education) were related to the use of the targeted classroom practices. A high degree of professional development fidelity was associated with greater teacher and teacher assistant use of the targeted classroom practices. Greater teacher adoption of targeted classroom practices was associated with higher ratings of child competence and persistent play (CEQ), lower ratings of child problem behavior (SSRS), and more positive language outcomes (PPVT-4).
Resource Type:
Administration for Children and Families/OPRE Projects
Principal Investigator(s):
Grantee(s)/Contrator(s):

Related resources include summaries, versions, measures (instruments), or other resources in which the current document plays a part. Research products funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation are related to their project records.

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