Page 123 - Innovative Professional Development Methods and Strategies for STEM Education

The Role of Teacher Leadership for Promoting Professional Development Practices

Figure 2. Qualities of director

21 percentile points. Although the purpose of this study was not to identify if student achievement was
gained as a result of professional development, it is worthy to note that the participants in this study are
engaged in activities that have been found to have significant impact on student achievement. Future
research should examine if the impact from professional development does lead to an increase in achieve-
ment from a classroom and school level.
The types of roles teacher leader participants engage in extend beyond the typical task of planning
and presenting material. Results from this study show in order for an organization to be successful and
thrive participants need to contribute to the growth and direction of the organization. Networking and
sharing information beyond just the day of the event is essential to build capacity and to create a sense
of community and belonging in an organization that extends beyond the traditional school day. Although
digital tools are available and accessible, the research from this study suggests it is still of value for
team members to meet face-to-face in order to establish a bond and commitment among colleagues. A
sense of belonging emerged in both the quantitative and qualitative data from teacher participants as a
valuable benefit of their work with MBAMP.
The most common administrative task included attending face-to-face meetings this finding suggests
participants see the value in making personal connections with colleagues to support the work they are
doing together. Communicating via email regarding administrative tasks such as schedules, flyers and
surveys were also commonly reported by participants (80%) suggesting that teacher leaders are able
to distinguish between the types of tasks that can be completed without personal communication and

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