Discover Your Potential with Chad Curtner Teacher Leadership

Professional development (PD) with educators serves as an imperative need for improving instructional quality, student achievement, and addressing the culture of any school. In my experience, not all professional learning opportunities do an effective job of engaging educators in such a way to sustain real change. Educators experience PD training that often mimics the same teacher-centered and initiative compliance that good educators often avoid in classrooms. If educators want meaningful growth, professional learning for teachers must align with adult learning principles. There are two common theories of adult education that I will report on: andragogy and transformative learning theory.

Malcolm Knowles’ theory of andragogy provides a framework for designing professional development that can respect teachers as individual, experienced professionals. The core assumptions that are found in andragogy can inform teacher professional learning, identifying five evidence-based strategies. Strategies of self-directed learning projects, collaborative learning communities, reflective practice, journaling, problem-based learning, and experiential learning with peer coaching display andragogical principles. 

           Andragogy was first popularized by Malcolm Knowles. Andragogy separates adult learning from the traditional approaches educators take when working with children.  (Knowles, 1980). Knowles defines andragogy as “the art and science of helping adults learn”.  According to Merriam and Bierema (2014), andragogy is both a theory and a set of assumptions about how adults learn differently from children.  There is an emphasis in andragogy that adults learn best as self-directed learners who can bring prior experience to learning. Learning is tied to life application and is problem-centered and intrinsically motivating. 

           Rocco et al. (2021) state that andragogy is the pillar in adult and continuing education because the lens through which a learning facilitator can operate views learners not as passive recipients, but as collaborators who are invested in the process. Merriam (2021) argues that the relevance of the andragogy is in how flexible it can be and how it stretches across multiple contexts in both classrooms and professional development settings. Henschke (2011) offers support to this idea that adult learning increases adult engagement by allowing learners to help shape their learning and play a significant role in the process. 

           Professional development for teachers, when addressed through andragogy, can align with reflective practice. Educators possess prior experiences and professional knowledge that should be recognized and integrated into the PD design (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). This works best when professional learning shifts to a top-down approach of content to more of a facilitation of inquiry, reflection, and collaboration that allows educators to provide new insights directly into the learning process.   Zepeda (2012) alerts us that adult educators need to apply andragogical principles to learning, resulting in PD that is more reflective because it effectively values teacher voice, relevance to roles in education, and autonomy to learn in a self-directed manner. 

           My experience has been in the middle school setting, and some of the principles that I can guide in PD for educators support diverse student needs, integrating technology into instruction, and differentiation of instruction. Self-directed learning experiences allow teachers to take ownership of their growth while still connecting with the PD that directly affects classroom practices. When PD is grounded in andragogy, educational institutions can nurture a culture of lifelong learning among educators. This is a vital component in sustaining improvement in our institutions. 

           Educators can look closer at andragogy and find that there are five strategies that are effective ways of taking this style of learning for adults and making the process effective and meaningful. The first strategy that andragogy can use is self-directed learning projects. Self-directed learning (SLD) is the process where individuals take the initiative to diagnose what learning needs they may have, formulate goals, identify resources needed, select strategies that may work for them, and evaluate the outcomes (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). There is an assumption that SLD makes that adults can manage their own learning and are motivated by internal factors more so than external. The rationale behind SLD is that it allows educators to personalize their professional growth according to the roles they play in their schools and their unique classroom challenges. This should be a natural fit for educators as they are used to determining instructional goals and reflecting on the outcomes.  It also allows for career goals to be addressed and can accommodate the specific needs educators have. This approach can respect the autonomy of the educator while providing professional expertise, a key component of andragogy (Rocco et al, 2021). When an educator can choose what and how they learn, research shows that engagement and commitment increase, which leads to a greater chance of implementation into the classroom (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). The internal motivation associated with SLD can link learning activities to the real challenges educators face in classrooms. Educators can identify their own focus, such as culturally responsive teaching and the adoption of new literacy interventions. Educators are able to design individualized learning projects based on professional goals. One such goal for myself is to integrate new literacy strategies into the middle school classroom and improve classroom management. While schools may offer flexible frameworks and resources, educators can act as coaches rather than instructors, supporting the reflection and accountability piece adults need to be successful (Henschke, 2011). The final state of the SLD relies on reflection and goal attainment. When educators can reflect, coach, identify lesson plans, and share student outcomes from what they have implemented, teacher satisfaction is often accomplished, which brings confidence, student growth, and ultimately success. 

           A second strategy that andragogy uses is collaborative learning communities (PLC). PLCs are collaborative groups of educators who meet regularly to share experiences, ideas, data analysis, and instructional practices (DeFour et al., 2016). PLCs reflect the social constructivist learning theory. PLCs align with andragogical principles, in which mutual respect and a shared responsibility for learning exist within the group. (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). Educators, like all adult learners, benefit from collaboration and professional conversation with peers. According to Merriam & Bierema (2014), adults can construct meaning through social interaction. The PLC can take professional development from an isolated event to an ongoing, job-embedded experience. This allows for continuous reflection and support (Rocco et al., 2021). I am a member of several PLCs in my roles at my school. I serve as PLC lead, department chair, and guiding coalition leadership committee member. When I conduct my department meetings, a focus on analyzing data, co-planning lessons, and sharing instructional strategies allows for a collaborative effort for the entire department. I serve as a facilitator more than a director, assuring my members can lead their own inquiry and decisions. The district in which I am currently employed makes PLCs a priority each week. Teachers are expected to meet at least once a week in various professional learning committees, and documentation is a central piece of evidence to show what is discussed. Research indicates that PLCs have a significant impact on student achievement and growth when educators use PLCs with fidelity. The reflection part of this strategy cannot be understated and can be evaluative in nature, though qualitative measures. Documentation of meetings, teacher notes, meeting summaries, quantitative discussions on student achievement and growth, collaboration, and instructional alignment all serve as key indicators of successful PLCs (DuFour et al., 2016). 

           Strategy three of andragogy examines reflective practice and journaling. Reflective practice is the process by which individuals analyze experiences, data, and instructional strategies to improve outcomes and future performance (Schon, 1983). There is an obvious cognitive process that occurs in these experiences when learning that can closely align with the andragogical principle that adults’ prior experiences are valuable learning resources. When educators use reflective journaling, there is a structured way for learners to document insights, struggles, perspectives, and predictions. The rationale of reflective journaling is intended to deepen understanding of theory and practice (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). Educators can effectively use journaling as a practice to enhance self-evaluation and awareness that can lead to student outcome improvement. An important attribute of reflective journaling is that it allows critical reflection for adult learners to freely analyze assumptions that can shape their instruction. This is often overlooked in the world of education, as all educators must accept that they will bring assumptions to their classrooms. It is important for educators to actively reflect, identify those assumptions, and work to do everything they can to leave those assumptions out of instruction. In this type of PD, reflective journaling can encourage educators to log what they learn, how it applies to their instruction, what outcomes were achieved, and if there was growth. According to Rocco et al. (2021), structured reflection helps learners integrate new ideas into existing frameworks, increasing retention and transfer. Schools can implement reflective journaling by integrating components in professional development. Digital platforms are easily accessible for educators to record thoughts, insights, recommendations, and observations during or at the conclusion of professional development. Some great examples of prompts might be: “How did this professional development change my perspective?” or “What challenges did I encounter or predict may happen when implementing this strategy?”. Having the opportunity to reflect on some of these questions can be done in PLCs or faculty meetings, allowing teachers to share voluntarily. A select number of facilitators may also model reflective journal entries and discuss their own learning process to further discussions. A good way to determine the effectiveness of reflective journaling can be seen with improved instructional practice, an increase in self-efficacy, and evidence of a deeper professional discourse with colleagues. Journals can be analyzed qualitatively for themes of growth and changed perspective, which can allow for evidence that the journaling is working (Brookfield, 2017). When taken as a whole faculty and analyzed, an entire staff at a school can see if the journaling was effective in student achievement and compare what strategies may be effective. 

           Strategy four of andragogy centers around problem-based learning (PBL). In this instructional approach, learners address complex, real-world problems through inquiry, research, and collaboration (Savery, 2015). PBL has been a staple in classrooms and is often used to encourage higher-order thinking skills. PBL aligns with andragogy’s assumption that adults are motivated to learn by immediate relevance and a need to solve a current problem (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). The rationale behind problem-based learning is that educators continuously face changing and diverse instructional challenges that require adaptation. PBL can position itself to address these challenges more as opportunities for learning and inquiry. These skills can be applied across various disciplines. According to Savery (2015), PBL enhances critical thinking and self-regulation, both of which are core competencies for professional educators. Rocco et al. (2021) add that PBL engages adults through contextual learning and increases the ability to transfer knowledge to new settings. This is critical in addressing needs that change constantly. Within the PD for PBL, educators can identify problems, such as inequitable student participation or assessments that are ineffective, and collaborate to design and test potential solutions to solve these problems. Facilitators can implement the professional development design for PBL into cycles. The first cycle is problem identification. This could be paired in a PLC using student data. Second, information gathering must be done. With all the information available to educators, data collection should be achievable without incident. Third in the cycle is solution design, followed by implementation, and concluding with reflection. This cycle can encourage teacher autonomy to address a current and applicable problem using cross-disciplinary collaboration grounded in professional development, resulting in real practice in a classroom (Zepeda, 2012). The effectiveness of PBL is rather simple and can be determined through evidence ranging from solutions, reflective reports, and observed and measurable learning outcomes. An educator’s ability to communicate the rationale behind the instructional decisions that were made and adapt the solutions that come from reflective practice and observation leads to success in future new problems. 

           Strategy five of andragogy involves experiential learning and peer coaching. Experiential learning (Kolb, 2015) is a model where learning occurs through a cycle of experience, reflection, conceptualization, and experimentation. Peer coaching complements this cycle by allowing educators to observe a colleague's practice, provide meaningful and relevant feedback, have a collaborative reflection, and work together to make any agreeable changes (Showers & Joyce, 1996). The rationale behind this strategy assumes adults learn most effectively through experiences that, with reflection, allow them to incorporate new knowledge (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). Educators can use experiential PD to connect to learning directly and incorporate it into classroom practice. Kolb (2015) says that learning is a continuous process that starts in experience and is a dynamic experience. Peer coaching takes the PD and turns professional learning into classroom practices. According to Rocco et al. (2021), experiential methods take learning accompanied by experiences and translate that learning to the learner's professional duties and experiences. This allows for the incorporation of new concepts and strategies to marry previous knowledge. Peer coaching implements this model by providing opportunities for small groups or pairs of educators to pre-observe, plan, observe, and reflect on classroom lessons.  Common areas for improvement can include instructional differentiation, classroom management skills and strategies, and integration of technology into lessons. Coaches can provide the procedures and feedback to support and focus on continued professional growth (Zepeda, 2012). Frequent reflective opportunities allow for all involved to share learning outcomes and mold their teaching practice.  One way to evaluate the effectiveness of peer coaching and experiential learning is to collect quantitative data from teacher reflections, observation notes, and feedback surveys. When compared with student learning outcomes, a correlation may be discovered and reported. Student engagement may increase with a collaborative effort, and confidence in instructional practices will lead to longer-term success. 

           The second theory of adult learning is called Transformative Learning Theory (TLT). TLT was first introduced by Jack Mezirow and provides a framework for understanding how adults revise perspectives with critical reflection and discussions. According to Mezirow (1997), transformative learning happens when people are challenged on their existing beliefs, assumptions, and values, resulting in them critically assessing their frame of reference. There are three components in this process: critical reflection, rational discourse, and action. In this theory, adult learning extends beyond acquiring knowledge and skills and involves a rethinking of worldview and practice. 

           Merriam & Bierema (2014) note that transformative learning is a constructivist theory that examines learning through experience. Adults interpret experiences when compared to prior understanding. This theory challenges those earlier experiences and assumptions. Transformative learning is relevant to educators in that educators must continue to adapt instructional approaches that meet the diverse needs of students. Rocco et al. (2021) argue that transformative learning is effective for adults because it encourages autonomy, social justice, and improvement through reflection. 

           A central concept essential to transformative learning is reflection and discourse. Dialogue with peers is essential to the transformation and allows learners to validate new insights and build meaning. Cranton (2016) explains this view by stating that transformative learning can occur as an individual or collective, especially in PLC systems. The goal of this learning theory rests in the fact that educators can challenge instructional beliefs, biases, and assumptions concerning students. Inquiry, equality, and culturally responsible practices must be present. With reflection and dialogue, educators can grow deeper than surface-level changes in their teaching philosophy. 

           One strategy of transformative learning theory is critical reflection. Like andragogy, TLT has a focus on reflective practices. Questioning assumptions, values, and beliefs often uncovers bias that was not seen before and removes the barrier of limitations those biases can impose (Mezirow, 2019). When adults evaluate perspectives, there can be a shift to a more reflective awareness. Educators often operate using their own school experiences, but when critical reflection provides opportunities to set aside those assumptions, it opens educators up to alternative views and skills in classroom management and instructional practices. Critical reflection can be implemented into PD cycles, facilitated by teacher leaders, coaches, and administrators. Looking at case studies, classroom data, and journaling can redirect educators to focus on student outcomes based on reflective practices. An evaluation of how effective critical practice may be can be gleaned from peer feedback and reflective notes. 

           Another strategy for transformative learning rests in dialogue circles. When educators are given the opportunities to discuss, debate, and analyze teaching practices, a natural reflection takes place for each participant's instructional thinking. Empathy is often seen with social interaction, and many times educators can better articulate challenges and determine solutions in this structure. If organized correctly with relevant topics, educators can be “real” with each other and feel safe expressing strengths and weaknesses. The end goal is to collaboratively assist each other in a respectful and diverse way. The effectiveness of this strategy can be qualitatively analyzed from notes and observations. 

           Reflective case studies take transformative learning theory and provide participants the chance to see real teaching scenarios and apply new knowledge. Adults learn best when they challenge assumptions and determine the best course to solve a dilemma. Case studies provide opportunities for educators to analyze and discuss problems or educational issues that may bring to light perspectives that are different than their own. Equity in grading, student motivation, and digital citizenship are all topics that often provoke thought and reflection. A case study can be implemented in PD at a school scale or in PLCs. Some questions to guide the discussion can be how cultural differences influenced the outcomes, and what evidence supported a particular interpretation. An assessment of the effectiveness of case studies can be seen through notes, peer observations, and changes in instructional outcomes. 

           Stories have always been a way for human beings to communicate throughout time, even before recorded history took form. How we learn, our traditions, our languages, and our cultures all can be passed down in storytelling and narrative inquiry. Often, educators share stories of success and failure, which, when intentionally reflected upon, can bring meaningful collaboration and potential change in a way no other strategy can affect. Stories function as a way to connect cognitive and emotional responses in adults. When thought and emotion intersect, research shows that what is transformed in those moments often is more permanent. The key components that arise from this type of adult learning are vulnerability, empathy, and shared purpose. Identity is formed among colleagues. When educators are invited to write or share narratives that may focus on a struggle, challenge they faced, or others identify, they are forced to examine their own responses and thoughts. These sessions can be created to include digital storytelling that displays a challenge a colleague faced and how they grew from it.  AS educators provide more feedback, display increased empathy, and connect with each other professionally in a greater way, the evidence is clear that narrative and storytelling can be an effective strategy in adult learning. 

           A final strategy in transformative learning theory falls to action research. When practitioner-driven processes are implemented, educators identify a problem, determine and implement an intervention, and finally analyze the outcomes. An informed reflection leads to an action to address the concerns. The rationale behind this strategy results from a behavior change where action research affords educators to test new practices, reflect, and change. Merriam and Bierema (2014) highlight that when adult learners reinforce transformative thinking with practical application, new insights are formed. When teachers focus on areas like student engagement and literacy acquisition, designing a simple plan to research, collect data, analyze, and create an actionable response leads to an increase in student outcomes. Action research can be very effective when partnered with PLCs and professional development teams. When teachers reflect, present data from student outcomes, and broadcast findings to the school community, action research proves to be an effective strategy in adult learning to bring about research-based change. The evidence is found in instructional changes and a shift in school culture that indicates transformative learning in practice (Stringer, 2014). 

           Applying andragogical and transformative learning strategies to professional development can take the learning experience to higher and greater levels. Each of these theories displays the core values of autonomy, relevance, and life experience that define adult learning. These processes allow for adults to take ownership of their learning and provide opportunities for adults to continue to be learners in the ever-changing world of education. This is a vital role that educators must understand, and that adaptation, reflection, and experimentation all play paramount roles in the educational process. When educators are treated as capable, self-directed professionals, professional development takes on a different meaning and becomes a process that is increasingly more personal and intended to encourage growth and a professional extension of skills. When learning is anchored in andragogy or transformative learning theory, teacher learning and improved student outcomes will result.

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