Exploring the Perceptions of School District Stakeholders in Relationship to Professional Development Structures

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore perceptions of professional development structures through the perceptive lens of experienced K-12 educators. The problem addressed in the study was ineffectively planned professional development in public school systems. Two groups of educators participated in the study. Group One consisted of 28 participants from building level positions such as teachers, principals, and assistant principals. Group Two consisted of five district level administrators from area school districts each having two or more years' experience planning professional development. Research questions included: (a) What are public school stakeholder perceptions of using logistical factors when planning for professional development activities?; (b) What are the perceptions of public school stakeholders of professional learning delivery methods that optimize professional development in schools?; (c) What factors do public school stakeholders perceive should be included when planning professional development activities?; (d) What role do stakeholders perceive school culture plays in determining the effectiveness of professional development? Findings from the study revealed planning successful PD structures should include engaging activities delivered by empathetic and knowledgeable speakers, and offer time for participant collaboration. Teachers viewed PD successfully if the topic was related to current teaching practices or content area. PD planners believed PD was related to school improvement or the "change" process. The differing perspectives were found to contribute to a much larger implication on school culture. A final outcome of the study was the development of a Professional Development Pre-Evaluation Scale, which could help PD planners improve proposed professional development offerings before implementation.