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The Knowledge Loom - What Works in Teaching & Learning

Using The Knowledge Loom: Ideas and Tools for
Collaborative Professional Development

A Guidebook for Professional Development Facilitators and Participants

This Guidebook is a companion to The Knowledge Loom: What Works in Teaching and Learning Web site. It is a how-to resource for collaborative professional development activities that use The Knowledge Loom content and online interactive tools to guide improved teaching and learning.

The Guidebook contains step-by-step instructions and activity organizers to document your work. Download this section, the entire publication or just the steps that interest you most. Many of the activities can be completed offline.

A limited number of print copies of the Guidebook are available. Single, free copies can be requested via our publications request form at:
http://www.alliance.brown.edu/db/ea_pubs_order.php

Download the PDF version of the Guide  
(Click here to get the Acrobat Reader.)  

An Introduction to the Guidebook

  • Acknowledgements
  • Overview
  • Quick Start
  • About The Knowledge Loom
  • The Knowledge Loom and Professional Development
  • Using The Knowledge Loom Guidebook

    The Activities

    		•

    Step 1: Select a Theme

    		 [Download this section]
    Users select a focus theme for school improvement that corresponds to a Knowledge Loom spotlight. They are introduced to The Knowledge Loom Web site and to a process of collaborative inquiry as a method for exploring their selected spotlight.

    Step 2: Review Best Practices

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    Users review a list of best practices related to their selected focus theme, identify evidence of those practices currently observable at their sites, and plan next steps for putting the practices into action.

    Step 3: Analyze Success Stories

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    Users study success stories (case studies offered on The Knowledge Loom) and analyze cause and effect factors that could affect their own improvement plans.

    Hear Principal Mary Russo comment on getting started.

    Step 4: Identify Support Resources

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    Users review Web resources and research summaries related to their selected focus themes and discuss how these resources can support their improvement work.

    Step 5: Action Planning and Dissemination

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    Users develop an action plan with long- and short-term goals and action items. They also begin to document their school improvement work, leading to the development of a success story that can be shared on The Knowledge Loom.

    Appendix A: Glossary

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    Defines key terms used throughout the Guidebook.

    Appendix B: Reproducible Activity Organizers

    		 [Download this section]
    Provides an entire set of activity organizers (and samples) for Steps 1-5. Activity organizers for each step are also included in the pdf files for that step.

    Appendix C: Evaluation Forms

    		 [Download this section]
    Includes both a participant evaluation and a facilitator's evaluation.

    Appendix D: References

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    Offers a bibliography of key research references supporting the methodologies that influenced the activities found in this Guidebook.