“Building a Bridge” to
Connect Professional
Development to
Learner Outcomes in
Adult Education
Agencies across
Pennsylvania
Program
Administrator
In-house
Professional
Development
Specialist (IHPDS)
Agency Professional Development Team

Adult Education and Family Literacy
Guidelines for Program Year 2013-14

F.100: Pennsylvania Professional
Development Policy
Program Administrator/Director
Instructional Leadership
 Compliance
 Staffing
 Fiscal oversight
 Program Improvement /
Professional Development

In-house Professional
Development Specialist (IHPDS)

Adult education teaching experience

Coordinating professional
development activities

Supporting staff in implementing new
skills and knowledge and evaluating
effectiveness

Working closely with the professional
development system and the program
director around instructional quality
Professional Development for
Agency Professional
Development Teams
Guskey Overview
Five Levels of Professional Development Evaluation (adapted from Guskey, 2002)
Level 5: Student
Outcomes
Assessing student
learning
Level 4: Participant’s
use of new knowledge
and skills
Assessing degree and
quality of implementation
Level 3: Organization support and
change
Assessing organizational advocacy, support,
accommodation, facilitation, recognition
Level 2: Participant’s Learning
Assessing new knowledge and skills
Level 1: Participant’s Reaction
Assessing initial satisfaction with experience
Program Improvement and Professional
Development Worksheet

Integrated planning process between
the Lead Consultant and the agency
professional development team
Program Improvement – Professional
Development Process (Worksheet)

Data Analysis

Planning for Program Improvement

Supporting Job-embedded Professional
Development

Development of Data Collection
Method
(Guskey Level 4 – Evaluating the impact of
professional learning on practice)

Student Outcomes
Program Improvement Team
Meeting Minutes

Summarize ongoing progress around
PI-PD process

Uploaded to MyLearningPlan®
(MLP), statewide data base for
professional development, at least
quarterly
Agency Professional Development
Team
Job-embedded Professional Development
Examples
Chester County IU 24
Tricia Quynn
Program Coordinator
Gail Nowak
Adult Education Teacher ESL & GED
PI-PD Goal
The CCIU Family Literacy Program will use
contextualized instruction to increase effectiveness
in helping 50% family literacy students complete the
first 3 steps in the “Career Pathways Program Map”
in order to realize choices and opportunities for
themselves and their children.
Objective
50% of family literacy students complete the first 3
steps in the “Career Pathways Program Map.”
3 Activities

Attend the Integrating Career Awareness into the ABE
and ESOL Classroom (ICA) strand at the Summer
Institute

Create and implement ESL lesson plans utilizing the ICA
curriculum, Oxford Picture Dictionary Curriculum, and
Career Pathway resources

Explore Community Resources
Organization support
Administrator
 Program Coordinator
 IHPDS
 PDS Consultants
◦ Rebecca Wagner- Lead Consultant
◦ Emily Wolfe – Family Literacy Consultant
◦ KayLynn Hamilton- Career Pathway Initiative

Difference in practice

“Career and Education Planning” worksheet
(ICA course)

“My Goals” worksheet (ICA course)

Career Interest Inventory (RAISEC)

Explore community resources: CareerLink, DCCC

“On Our Way” lessons

“Oxford Picture Dictionary” lessons
Data collection methods

Student Artifacts

“Workplace Assessment” from the Oxford
Picture Dictionary Teacher Assessment book

Learners’ Surveys
Impact on outcomes

Students
◦ See that they have choices
◦ Have an increased awareness of opportunities
 Training programs and job opportunities in
Chester County
◦ Have increased workforce vocabulary
◦ Are more interested in class and are more
engaged
Impact on outcomes

Teachers
◦ Have an increased awareness of learner
knowledge in a workforce context
◦ Realize that parents in a family literacy
program have career aspirations
◦ Use worksheets and interest inventory to
guide instruction
Impact on outcomes

Case Manager
◦ See that learner goals have changed
◦ See that pathways to achieve the goal have
changed (obstacles, choices, etc.)
PIT Minutes
We use the PIT minute template to
Guide
our PIT meeting agenda
Record
our progress on implementing our PIPD activities
Keep
us focused
Successes

Students are engaged in the ICA curriculum

Students are setting career goals and mapping a
pathway to achieve a goal

Creating a positive and engaging classroom
community
Challenges

Scheduling

Differentiating instruction based on student
career needs
Contact information
CCIU 24
Tricia Quynn
patriciaq@cciu.org
Gail Nowak
gailn@cciu.org
Private Industry Council of
Westmoreland/Fayette, Inc.
Brett Baumgartel
Adult Education Supervisor
Mary Lou Friedline
Adult Education Instructor, IHPDS
Goal

Reading EFL
◦ 20% increase in TABE Reading Scaled Scores
◦ Compare pre- and post-TABE Reading Scaled Scores
in February, April, and June 2014
◦ Each instructor providing similar skills, consistently
Objective
Reading EFL Objective
◦ Strong critical reading skills and strategies are
essential for the GED tests
◦ What to do before, during, and after reading needs to
be taught, using direct instruction
◦ Direct instruction, practice, and review will more fully
prepare adult learners for post-secondary
education/training, employment, and/or to help
children achieve and succeed in school
Activity

NCSALL Study Circles
◦ PY 12-13 Pilot: Adult Multiple Intelligences
 Q & A with Silja Kallenbach, the author of text
Activity

NCSALL Study Circles
◦ PY 13-14 Research-based Adult Reading Instruction
 Session One: Distinguish different theories, identify personal
instructional model, summarize types of research, identify
components of reading
 Session Two: Bring 1 each of favorite reading, math, language
texts to develop reading lessons; examine saved Dropbox sites
and documents to discuss
 Session Three: Provide brief descriptions of 3 favorite
reading lessons. Discuss and identify core reading skills to
determine which will be taught in all classrooms
Organization support

Change in leadership

Provide time for 3 three-hour sessions within 7
weeks

Allow flexibility for locations of sessions: main
office and PA CareerLink Westmoreland

Consider possible staff reassignments

Study Circle to be PIT meetings
Difference in practice

Learner-directed classrooms

Weekly lessons documented in Outlook
Calendar

Same skills taught in all classrooms
Data collection method

e-Data TABE Reading
◦ Jan.-June 2014 pre and post Scaled Scores comparisons

Observation rubric to identify and address gaps
◦ Classroom Organization: students become aware of skills
(terms), especially those to be taught/talked about during the
class lesson(s)
◦ Independent Study Block: students prepare to actively
participate in group lessons/activities; also concentrate on
individual areas of need
◦ Reading Lessons & Activities: students learn varied skills,
including what to do before, during, and after reading using main
ideas, supporting details, etc.
3 Focus Areas
Classroom Organization
The instructor makes students aware of skills that will be taught
and discussed. Reading, math, and writing skills and activities will
be on the board when students enter the classroom.
Independent Study Block
The instructor guides students to ensure they are able and
aware of their ability to work independently. An independent
study block will be used by students to prepare to actively
participate in group lessons, as well as concentrate on individual
areas of need.
Reading Lessons & Activities
The instructor plans for and teaches reading lessons and
activities that include the varied skills required for test taking,
post-secondary education, and the workplace. Reading skills will
include processes of what to do before, during, and after reading
content, using main ideas, supporting details, etc.
Identifying
the gaps
Addressing
the gaps
Impact on outcomes

Increased awareness of reading skills,
terms, and processes

Increased use of reading terms
◦ Main idea
◦ Supporting details

Increased EFL TABE Reading gains
PIT Minutes
Use of:

Our guide to evaluating and planning
study circle sessions and future PIT
meetings

The main method for staff to review and
track required PI-PD activities
Successes
Impact of Study Circles:
Open
dialogue among staff, including
opportunities to discuss, debate, and disagree
Staff
state desire to change to improve quality of
instruction
Staff
requests additional study circles
Challenges

Providing most appropriate support for each
instructor

Determining most appropriate teaching
location for each instructor
Contact information
PIC
Brett Baumgartel
bbaumgartel@privateindustrycouncil.com
Mary Lou Friedline
mfriedline@privateindustrycouncil.com
Crawford County
READ Program
Dr. Armendia Dixon
Executive Director
Meg Hallgren
IHPDS, Instructor
Goal
The Crawford County READ
Program will increase learner
gains to the standard of each
educational functioning level
by June 30, 2014.
Premise
There is a direct correlation between
teaching, student learning and student
persistence.
Teaching
Student
Learning
Persistence
Objective #1
Based on Teach Like a Champion
(Lemov, 2010) instructors will learn
and perfect the techniques
Circulate, Break-It-Down and Ratio.
These are the techniques that
needed strengthening by most
instructors.
Activities
 Staff
will read and discuss the book Teach
Like a Champion.
 Over
three staff meetings, staff will
demonstrate Circulate, Break it Down and
Ratio as presented in Teach Like a
Champion.
Objective #2
Develop a written process by
which we identify appropriate
placements which support
learner success.
Activities for Objective 2

Develop a process that identifies the
requirements of each group, classroom or tutoring
match

Use the staff designed tracking sheet to monitor
the completion of placements

Train teachers on the implementation of the
process and tracking sheet
Organization Support
• We met in teams, then discussed the plans for
implementation of the tracking process and
peer observations
• The Board became knowledgeable as to the
tracking process and peer observation
• The Board proposed a merit award for each
instructor who followed the procedure
Data Collection
Method
 Review
all monthly tracking
forms; then analyze the data
 Evaluate
professional
development through teachers’
use of new knowledge and skills
Difference in Agency Practice

Instructors are tracking students’
hours weekly, using the process we
have developed

Instructors are building a
community of learners as they
observe each other in the teaching
environment
Impact on all Outcomes
Teachers
 The
instructors are becoming more conscious of
the three teaching techniques
 Instructors
have a greater respect for peer
observation
 Instructors
are engaged in up close data
monitoring of all state contracts
Impact on all Outcomes
Students
 They
realize that teachers are working to
improve instructional techniques because they
have the opportunity to provide feedback
 Since
post-testing is being done in a timely
manner, students are seeing the “fruits of their
labor” sooner
 Knowing
that they are making significant progress
gives some students the energy to keep working
Data Analysis
Peer Observation
Out of 12 observations, 58% of the instructors moved strategically
near students to assist them in understanding the lesson. Sixty
seven percent of the instructors used a variety of assessments;
75% demonstrated tact, patience and understanding. It is
significant that 100% of instructors provided various opportunities
for student success and 100% of instructors took the time to
explain in a clearer manner when students appeared confused. It
is also significant that 92% of the students were engaged in
thinking about the lesson and 92% in talking about the lesson.
Data Analysis
Student Reflections
It is significant that 74% of the students
Strongly Agree that their instructors are
interested in helping them; got them to
participate in the lesson; were patient and
understanding; were enthusiastic about the
lesson; were knowledgeable about the lesson;
helped them feel comfortable in the class and
provided them with the opportunity for afterclass help.
PIT Minutes

Following the template has helped us
keep track of the professional path that
leads to our goal

The PIT minutes guide us in agency
decision-making
Successes

The staff is more aware of the importance of
accurate and timely data.

A greater percentage of students have been posttested than were post-tested in the entire 2012-2013
program year.

The team approach has lead to a stronger community
of students and instructors who share their stories
with other Crawford County residents.
Challenges
 Continue
to explore more teaching
strategies
 Conference
intermittently with each
student about his or her goals
 Allow
the data to speak to us,
guiding our decision-making process
Contact Information
Crawford County READ Program
Dr. Armendia Dixon
armendia@zoominternet.net
Meg Hallgren
megh@windstream.net
Agency PD Team
Michele Pappalardo
Associate Dean of Workforce
Development
William Schaffer, Ph.D.
Associate Director of Adult Literacy
Goal
Increase average EFL gains by five
percentage points by June 30, 2014.
Objective
Build a more relevant and rigorous ESL and
ABE/ASE curriculum that
• Aligns with CCSS (Common Core State
Standards)
• Includes CCR (College and Career
Readiness) anchor standards
• Utilizes strategies from Learning
Differences (LD) Toolkit
Activity 1
Review
• “The Climb to Align,” “The Crosswalk,” overview of CCR
Standards, and GEDTS webinars for GED® 2014 ABE/ASE staff
•“The Life Skills, College, and Career Readiness Guide for
ESOL Learners” - ESL staff
Develop course outlines
•Reflect CCR standards in curriculum - ABE/ASE
•Integrate life skills and CCR standards with the context of
speaking, listening, reading, writing, developing strategies and
resources for learning, navigating systems, intercultural
knowledge and skills – ESL
Activity 2






Review new course outlines – instructors
Develop lesson plans integrating CCR anchors/
standards and LD strategies - lead teachers and
administrators
Post lesson plans and supplemental materials on
NCC’s BlackBoard 9 online learning community –
IHPDS
Obtain feedback from peers and share lesson plans
on BlackBoard 9 – instructors
Review lesson plans and create resource library
ESL instructors reviewed “The Life Skills, College, and
Career Readiness Guide for ESOL Learners”
Organization support
Explain rationale for using CCR anchor standards and LD strategies within
context of ABE/ASE curriculum
Assign instructors to groups (ESL or ABE/ASE) to begin analysis of CCR
anchor standards
Provide release time for lead teachers to evaluate and revise course
outlines and share strategies with colleagues at teacher meetings
Use feedback gathered at teacher and PIT meetings to revise course
scheduling, course content, and student placement/progress procedures
Support NCC’s Online Learning regarding building of online learning
community platform
Differences in practice






Data viewed more critically by instructors and
administrative staff
Lesson plans more reflective of CCRS
Instructional activities embrace LD
More real-world, authentic materials used
Instructors continue PD outside the classroom
(i.e., researching best practices) and share with
colleagues
Collaboration with higher education faculty/staff
in curriculum development
Data collection method

Direct observation by Directors/ Program
Coordinators

Implementation logs

Surveys/questionnaires – Teacher/Course
Evaluations

Lesson plans
Impact on Outcomes
Beginning ABE - 5% increase
Low Adult Secondary - 0.5% increase
High Beginning ESL – 16.5% increase
Low Intermediate ESL – 1.4% increase
High Intermediate ESL – 4.2% increase
Advanced ESL - 0.5% increase
PIT Minutes
Monthly PIT meetings
 PIT members - directors, coordinators, eData, operations, and instructional staff
 NRS Table 4 & 4B reviewed
 Performance by class/group reviewed
 Teacher implementation updates
 Minutes posted to MyLearningPlan®

Successes




Development of online learning community
◦ Share resources
◦ Exchange instructional ideas/lesson plans
◦ Provide examples of best practices
◦ Disseminate research
◦ Build a “virtual” learning differences toolbox
Increased engagement in job-embedded professional
development activities
Increased awareness of the effects of CCRS on curriculum
development
Increased knowledge of connectedness between
instructional delivery/content and program outcomes
Challenges

Learning curve using online community

Time to vet resources for quality, relevance and
rigor

Tracking to ensure all staff participate

Competing interest of participating in online
community vs. CCRS and GED® 2014 planning
and implementation

Not all staff have access to similar resources
(technology, materials, etc.)
Contact Information
Northampton Community College
Michele Pappalardo
MPappalardo@northampton.edu
William Schaffer, Ph.D.
Wschaffer@northampton.edu
for joining us today.