Page 27 - The Architecture of Professional Development

The current language of professional development architecture conveys a number of meta‐messages
to policymakers, academics, and prac oners. To begin, the term‐‐professional development‐‐has
gained currency and a sense of urgency in contemporary educa on reform. Reform literature, policy
mandates, and school improvement ini a ves all contain sec ons that specifically describe the need
for professional development and its connec on to goals and policies. The current flurry of ac vity
and investment in educators’ professional development also conveys the message that it is no longer
the educa onal stepchild as it was once described (Smiley, 1996). The unequivocal message is that
professional development is essen al to high quality professional prac ce that contributes directly to
student learning and school improvement.

The current prominence of professional development sends another message, albeit perhaps, an
unintended one. At mes, professional development enthusiasts suggest that professional
development is an educa onal cure‐all, powerful enough to treat what ever ails a school. Professional
learning enhances individual and collec ve capacity, but it is not a panacea nor is it a subs tute for
adequate resources, reasoned policy, appropriate structures, and workable organiza onal processes in
schools.

Another meta‐message in contemporary professional development architecture is its legi macy as a
policy lever to ini ate change, monitor progress, ensure accountability, and/or make cri cal judgments
on policies and prac ces. For instance, there are explicit messages about the importance of
professional development in: teacher evalua on systems (Danielson and McGreal 2000), knowledge
and skills‐based compensa on systems for teachers (Odden and Kelley, 2001), state regula ons
governing professional licenses (e.g. Wisconsin Administra ve Code for Cer fica on Rules P.I. 34 for
professional cer fica on and licensure), and criteria for external funding and support. There is also a
hidden message in the four examples cited. Professional development is something that needs to be
regulated and controlled externally. The rhetoric may say that “teachers are in charge of their own
learning,” but the reality is government mandates and professional development gate keeping by
administrators in schools are necessary to control the quality of professional development content,
delivery, and outcomes.

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