Professional Learning
Based on Adult Learning Best Practices
Classworks offers job-embedded professional learning that is relevant to teachers’ day-to-day workflow and follows andragogical best practices. In The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species, Malcolm Knowles makes four observations about adult learners:
- Adults learn best when self-directed
- They use past experiences to understand new information
- They are ready to learn new information when important to them
- Adults are problem-centered learners, they want to apply new information to their immediate circumstances
Classworks professional learning addresses these observations through targeted training, ongoing coaching and mentoring, opportunities for group discussion, dialog and feedback. Best practices indicate that when professional learning integrates training within the teacher’s workday, the likelihood of increased student achievement is far greater.
The Classworks professional learning model aligns to the National Staff Development Standards (NSDS) and includes staff development sessions that highlight successes and growth of all students. Classworks implementation managers utilize strategies to ensure that best practices and high levels of motivation are implemented with leadership and teachers. Students then see Classworks as a supportive learning environment celebrating their individual successes.
Examples of best practices and strategies through continuous support, training, coaching and mentoring include determining:
- Who will benefit from computer based learning
- What role a student’s dominant learning style plays in their instruction
- How to administer and make the right decisions from assessment results
- How to monitor student progress and make effective instructional decisions for each student
- How to improve achievement for all students based on differentiated instructional paths