| Professional development is complex and has its roots in constructivist, behaviorist, cognitivist, and situative-sociohistoric perspectives. This descriptive case study examined professional development mandated by No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the effect of NCLB on the professional development experiences and classroom practices of 6 public school teachers. The purposes of this qualitative study were to determine whether the teachers' professional development experiences changed because of NCLB, to investigate the impact of professional development in the classroom, and to compare the experiences of the participants. Schools and participants within those schools were randomly selected. Data were collected through individual teacher interviews, classroom observation, and a focus group interview. Interviews were analyzed using thematic coding. Results indicated that NCLB positively impacted professional development for these teachers as it stressed situative-sociohistoric and constructivist philosophies, which emphasized active, social learning led by teachers and focused on state standards and assessments. The participants' interview responses yielded 9 professional development best practices; on average, teachers interviewed implemented 5 of these in their classrooms. The common experience across all participants and data collection methods was that professional development emphasized core academic instruction. This study provides baseline data that future researchers can use to investigate professional development. Administrators can use the results of this study to inform future professional development programs and practices so that teachers are better equipped to help all students master the curriculum and prepare them for future academic and career pursuits. |
