The role of the specialist in the teacher's CPD

Knowing what makes continuing professional development (CPD) effective is important both to teachers planning their own professional development and to schools which want to build self-sustaining professional development and learning skills and aptitudes whilst getting value for money/resources invested.   The findings of three systematic reviews of CPD have already pointed to the important role played by 'experts' or specialists, although this was not their main focus. For this TLA research summary we have explored the fourth review in the series which set out to unpack what specialists contribute to CPD and how they do it - in contexts where there is evidence of a positive impact on pupil learning. The review's findings were derived from 19 studies which the reviewers judged as offering the most relevant and trustworthy evidence.   The reviewers noted how the specialists invested much time and effort in the design, delivery and support of CPD programmes and activities. They looked for studies that explored the impact of CPD on both students and teachers. The specialists introduced the teachers to new knowledge and approaches. But they also supported teachers over time in using their new knowledge to develop their skills and make changes to their practice.   Specialists helped teachers to use their new knowledge in practice in a number of ways. These included:  modeling the new ideas in a classroom setting  supporting the teachers to make changes through sustained mentoring and coaching  helping teachers to collaborate with and support one another.      The reviewers concluded that for CPD to be successful it was important that specialists paid as much attention to adult learning and to teachers' needs, as to the transmission of new and 'expert' knowledge about classroom teaching and learning. When teachers were supported by specialists in this way, they learned new approaches to teaching, more about their subject, and more about pupil learning. This in turn helped them to enhance their pupils' engagement, confidence, attitudes, and performance.   In this summary we outline the key features of effective CPD facilitation by specialists and illustrate them with examples from the original studies. We think teachers will be keen to know how to make best use of specialist expertise for developing their own practice and to consider strategies they might use to increase the effectiveness of the support they offer to colleagues. Specialist providers of teachers' professional development (including ASTs and CPD leaders) will also find the summary helpful.  Reference: All three previous systematic reviews of continuing professional development can be found on the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating (EPPI) Centre website (see further reading section). The three reviews are also featured in two previous TLA research summaries: Teachers' professional learning The impact of collaborative CPD Cordingley, P. et al. 'What do specialists do in CPD programmes for which there is evidence of positive outcomes for pupils and teachers?' Research Evidence in Education Library. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, 2007.