Reflective Practice Theory of Action
Confidential to Shelby County Schools and Memphis City Schools
1
Reflective Practice Technology means using video and earbud technology to
enhance professional practice
•
Review of professional practice is a key component of all teacher and leader support strategies
•
Reflective Practice Technology:
• Deepens insight by connecting evidence and feedback to the moment in
time when a skill is performed
•
Eases logistics associated with reviewing professional practice in real
time
•
Gives educators a tool to take ownership of their professional growth
Confidential to Shelby County Schools and Memphis City Schools
2
Review of professional practice is a critical activity within each tier of our
teacher support framework
SCS Teacher Support Flow Chart
Review of
practice occurs
in each tier:
1.
2.
3.
Targeted Coaching
Intensive Coaching
Support
Support
Confidential to Shelby County Schools and Memphis City Schools
Evaluation
3
Reflective Practice Technology can enhance evaluation and targeted / intensive
coaching support
Tier 1: Evaluation
Tier 2: Targeted Coaching Support
How:
How:
• Teachers submit a video capture
of a lesson in place of an inperson observation
• Teachers can self-reflect in
preparation for an observation
• Teachers and peers can engage
in no-fault coaching
Result:
• Coaches guide teachers through
targeted review of video footage in
order to analyze areas of focus in
their practice
• Coaches may videotape teachers
in order to capture specific
actions, or teachers may
videotape all or part of a lesson to
share with their coach
Result:
• Research shows that video
observation leads to higher interrater reliability
• Observers provide more detailed
written feedback and evidence
• Video captures can be reviewed
within the post-conference to
connect feedback to specific
moments in time during the lesson
• Teachers learn to identify areas
for refinement in their own
practice, naturally driving coaching
conversations toward solution
strategies
Tier 3: Intensive Coaching Support
How:
• Real-Time Coaches provide stepby-step instruction to teachers
through earbud technology
• Coaches observe teachers from
within the classroom and prompt
specific actions throughout a
lesson
• Coaches undergo extensive
training to master the RTTC toolkit
Result:
• The typical coaching cycle is
accelerated; teachers receive
feedback and make adjustments
simultaneously
• Teachers who are having trouble
implementing new strategies
receive intensive guidance while
maintaining control of their
classroom
Confidential to Shelby County Schools and Memphis City Schools
4
Reflective Practice Technology can also be made accessible to Tier I teachers
as an independent study tool
How:
• Teachers videotape themselves and review captures of their professional practice independently
• Teachers complete a structured self-assessment to identify areas for reinforcement and refinement (to be determined)
• Example: Utilize the Plan - Do - Study - Act self reflection cycle
Result:
• Video-enhanced reflection gives teachers a tool to take ownership of their professional growth and learning
Sample Self-Assessment Framework: Teachscape Plan - Do – Study - Act
Confidential to Shelby County Schools and Memphis City Schools
5
Reflective Practice Technology is at the center of two national research studies
at MCS
Study
Measures of
Effective
Teaching (MET)
project
Tripod
Professional
Development
project
Research question(s)
•
Overall: Which teaching
practices, skills and
knowledge positively
impact student learning,
and how can these be
measured?
•
With respect to
technology: Does
allowing teachers to
select specific videos for
observation raise scores
overall?
•
What professional
development approaches
featuring digital tools work
best?
Use of Reflective Practice
Technology
•
•
Timeline and participant
information
•
The study spanned from
2009-10 to 2011-12
•
3000 teachers
participated from 7
districts
•
447 teachers across 62
legacy MCS schools
participated
Initiative evaluates two
technology-related
methods of PD:
•
The study is took place
throughout the 2012-13
school year in MCS
− One group of teachers
videotape themselves
and work with coaches
by phone and email to
boost skills
•
50+ teachers participated
in the video-coaching
component of the study
•
250 teachers participated
in the online environment
Participating teachers
recorded classroom
observations which were
reviewed by expert raters
against various evaluation
rubrics
− A second group of
teachers tap into an
online community that
features discussion
boards and other
resources for
improvement
Confidential to Shelby County Schools and Memphis City Schools
Findings and Implications
•
When teachers have an
opportunity to put their
best practice on display,
inter-rater reliability is
increased
•
The district will
incorporate voluntary
video observation into the
unified district’s strategy
to implement TEM 3.0
with fidelity and provide
better and more detailed
observation feedback
•
Teachers actively
participating in the
intensive video training
have shared positive
feedback and feel that the
method of support is
“transformational”
•
Video enhanced coaching
not only shows promise
as a means to improve
support, it may also
provide a means to
maximize support with
limited resources
6
Scaling Reflective Practice Technology across Tiers 1 – 3 of the teacher
support framework requires implementation planning in primarily two areas
Logistics and Equipment
Practice Implementation
1. Equipment deployment and
strategy for ongoing
maintenance
1. Training for teachers and
coaches on reflection
techniques
2. Training for teachers and
coaches on technology use
2. Process to monitor utilization at
district level to ensure fidelity of
implementation
3. Day to day coordination of
equipment use and
troubleshooting
4. Process to monitor utilization at
the school level to highlight
capacity or other concerns
3. Feedback mechanism for
Talent Management Office to
assess teacher effectiveness
outcomes of Reflective Practice
Technology use
Confidential to Shelby County Schools and Memphis City Schools
7
Questions & Next Steps
• Determine how Reflective Practice use fits our school goals
• Create school-wide capture sign-up
• Questions
Confidential to Shelby County Schools and Memphis City Schools
8