Bryan Van Pelt's bportfolio

Course goals 1. Use a review of current educational literature and research examining best practices in the classroom setting. 2. Explore and apply the Action Research process to provide the foundation for continuous inquiry and an effective solution to an issue. 3. Understand that Action Research is a distinctive approach to inquiry that is directly relevant to the classroom setting and that it provides the means for teachers to enhance their teaching and impact student learning. 4. Reflect on the Action Research process by sharing identified research focus, rational, collection and analysis of data,and inquiry next steps through a presentation to peers . Teacher Leadership   Standards : Teacher Leadership Standard #2: Analyze learning to promote student growth Teacher Leadership Standard #3: Improve teaching and learning through the use of educational research at the classroom and school levels Prior Thoughts:             Prior to EDU 6979, I t

Teacher Leadership Standard #6 - Communicates and collaborates with a variety of stakeholders Theories of Adult Learning Takeaways:             In summary of this week’s readings three important overarching themes presented themselves: 1.        Relevance 2.      Organization 3.      Mobilization Adults must connect to the material being presented in a personal and meaningful way.   As stated by Zepeda (2013), “Regardless of its form, professional development is effective if it is ongoing, long term, and related to the teacher’s content area” (p. 8).   The last portion of this quote struck me as a key ingredient to adult learning.   Teaching students is a multi dimensional, complex practice with too many ideas for improvement, however PD opportunities must contain information in which the faculty agrees is relevant and useful. Tying into last weeks takeaway’s of distributed leadership, Conley and Muncey (1999) state the important and subtle diff