Designing with Purpose

 

    Designing professional development can feel overwhelming, especially when you move beyond the traditional "sit and get" sessions and create experiences that truly impact classroom practice. As teachers, we all despise losing precious time in our classrooms to sit in a professional development (PD) that may not be engaging and beneficial to our classroom setting. As I began planning a professional development for teachers, I tried to put myself in their shoes. This Number Sense PD challenged me  to rethink what good instructional design really looks like (Brown & Green, 2024). I learned that good instructional design isn't about the cutesy slides or rigourous agenda, but is solely centered around the learner, sets clear goals, and thoughfully connects each component of the learning experience back to the classroom. Throughout this process, I've discovered that purposeful design can transform a traditional PD from a one-time event into a meaniful, continous learning opportunity.

Good Instructional Design

    According to Brown and Green (2024), effective instructional design begins with a systematic approach. They describe instructional design as "a deliverate process for creating learning experiences that help learners achieve specific outcomes" (p.4). This includes identifying the learners and the learning environment, clarifying goals, and carefully selecting specific instructional strategies. When planning my Number Sense PD, this meant clearly defining what I wanted teachers to walk away with; not just knowledge of number sense routines, but the ability to implement them confidently and adapt them for their students on a daily basis.

    Brown and Green (2024) emphasize the importance of the learner analysis phase of instructional design. I've been apart of many professional developments where the presenter assumed what teachers needed without considering our existing knowledge. Through my experience, I chose to begin with teacher knowledge and asked myself more intentional questions such as: What do teachers already know about number sense routines? What challenges are they facing? How can this PD support their existing number sense routines? Brown and Green (2024) emphasize, understanding your learners "improves relevance and increases the likelihood of success" (p. 35).

Discoveries

    Before this course, I underestimated the importance of a needs-based assessment to design an effective professional development. Recently, I attended an Emerging Math Coaches training through AMSTI that outlined the importance of always starting with a needs-based assessment before walking into a classroom. This made me rethink my original professional development idea. Originally, I had planned to educate teachers about number talks and then have them design one on their own. I realized that teachers already know what a number talk is and looks like, but may have trouble with a daily number sense routine. I restructured my thinking and chose activities that centered around modeling, practicing, feedback, and planning. This mirrored Brown and Green's (2024) "learner-centered design," where learners are actively engaged in the learning rather than just listening to a presenter (p. 78). By incorporating engaging activities, the PD shifted away from traditional lecture-based PD towards a more continous learning model.     

Additionally, Ali and Sadat Academy for Management Sciences, Cairo, Egypt (2020) demonstrate a needs-based framework for PD. This includes conducting a needs-based assessment with teachers before designing a PD to ensure it is meeting the needs of the teachers. Ali and Sadat Academy for Management Sciences, Cairo, Egypts' (2020) study revealed that when PD is tailored to teacher knowledge and their specific needs, the PD becomes more responsive and meaningful. Through personal experience, I deliberately incorporated collaborative planning and peer coaching based on actual classroom evidence. 

Number Sense in K-2 by Keley Barnhill (additional resources)

Reflecting

    In the future, one change that I will make in designing PD is building an ongoing formative evaluation. It cannot be assumed that a PD was successful simply due to attendance. In the next PD, I will organize check-ins, exit tickets, and post-session surveys to evalute whether teachers found the information effective and if they are actively using it in the classroom. Brown and Green (2024) emphasize that formative evaluation is essential to identifying weaknesses in design and making improvements before implementation (p. 148).

Conclusion

    Throughout the designing process, I have learned that good instructional design is not just about the presentation and implementation but about clear planning, constant reflections, and learner-centered development. By turning my focus on what teachers need, how they receive it, and how to support them post PD, we can create a professional learning experience that is fluid.

References

Brown, A. H., & Green, T. D. (2024). The essentials of instructional design: Connecting fundamental principles with process and practice (5th ed.). Routledge.

Ali, A. D. & Sadat Academy for Management Sciences, Cairo, Egypt. (2020). A framework for an inclusive Education Professional development program. In MEXTESOL Journal (Vol. 44, Issue 3).