Professional Learning Goals

We identified strengths and weaknesses of both PLC models.

The traditional lesson study centred PLC naturally tends to focus on meta-strategies which should generalize to all content areas. At the same time, the traditional approach requires significant long-term planning, tends to choose the same content area based on a limited resource base, and there is difficulty managing delivering the follow-up assessment to the members.

The dynamically driven PLC model was identified and content based on immediate student needs (or sometimes the absence of them). The followup assessment was easy to manage, and where it was made available, recommended teaching resources provided good support and modelled beneficial teaching strategies that were also identified in the traditional PLC.

The agility of the dynamically driven model did not fit well with the requirement for the advanced planning of a traditional PLC.

Activities and Resources

The team met in multiple configurations ranging from full group co-planning to small two-person meetings to prepare, evaluate and follow up with lessons. The costs and benefits of traditional PLCs organized around a co-planning and lesson study paradigm versus a dynamically driven model were compared and contrasted by group members in a project exit survey.

Unexpected Challenges

The traditional formal PLC model of co-planning and lesson study requires long timelines and creates an additional workload on its members. This reduces the responsiveness of the model to the teacher and student needs.

Enhancing Student Learning and Development

Students have benefited from the regular use of teaching strategies identified in the traditional PLC model as well as those modelled in the intervention materials recommended by the software service. Students are benefiting and enjoying the increased use of the misconception software.

Sharing

We have been sharing the results of our project through the TeachOntario website on the LaTIN group. We have also connected with and provided feedback to Knowledgehook.

Project Evaluation

Participants in the project have benefited from the use of both models, and express some significant enthusiasm for the misconception software. We have developed appropriate expectations for the products of the professional learning that can be achieved from traditional PLCs and look forward to organizing a model that responds to the agility available with a dynamically driven PLC.