• Professional development should be based on analyses of the differences between (a) actual student performance and (b) goals and standards for student learning.
     What is it?    Stories    Research    Policy    Resources

• Professional development should involve teachers in the identification of what they need to learn and in the development of the learning experiences in which they will be involved.
     What is it?    Stories    Research    Policy    Resources

• Professional development should provide learning opportunities that relate to individual needs but are, for the most part, organized around collaborative problem solving.
     What is it?    Stories    Research    Policy    Resources

• Professional development should be primarily school-based and built into the day-to-day work of teaching.
     What is it?    Stories    Research    Policy    Resources

• Professional development should be continuous and on-going, involving follow-up and support for further learning, including support from sources external to the school that can provide necessary resources and new perspectives.
     What is it?    Stories    Research    Policy    Resources

• Professional development should incorporate evaluation of multiple sources of information on (a) outcomes for students and (b) the instruction and other processes that are involved in implementing the lessons learned.
     What is it?    Stories    Research    Policy    Resources

• Professional development should provide opportunities to gain an understanding of the theory underlying the knowledge and skills being learned.
     What is it?    Stories    Research    Policy    Resources

• Professional development should be connected to a comprehensive change process focused on improving student learning.
     What is it?    Stories    Research    Policy    Resources

National Staff Development Council (NSDC) Standards for Staff Development, Revised (2001)

NSDC's Standards for Staff Development, Revised Edition synthesizes several decades of research in the field and builds on numerous examples of successful practice. The standards identify the context, processes, and content that research identifies as necessary to improve student achievement through staff development.

Context Standards

Staff development that improves the learning of all students	Essential Elements
Organizes adults into learning communities whose goals are aligned with those of the district and school.	Shared vision and goals Expectation for collaboration Learning time
Requires skillful school and district leaders who guide continuous instructional improvement.	Role of teachers Distributed leadership Policies and structures
Requires resources to support adult learning and collaboration	Financial and other support Time Access to learning opportunities

Process Standards

Staff development that improves the learning of all students	Essential Elements
uses disaggregated student data to determine adult learning priorities, monitor progress, and help sustain continuous improvement.	Data disaggregation Need analysis Continuous improvement
uses multiple sources of information to guide the improvement and demonstrate its impact.	Evaluation design Learner evaluation Student results
prepares educators to apply research to decision making	Access to research Application of research Action research
uses learning strateies appropriate to the intended goal.	Delivery options Learning strategies Follow-up support
applies knowledge about human learning and change.	Supporting change Adult learning needs Educators' professional goals
provides educators with the knowledge and skills to collaborate.	Collaborative climate Interactivity Group development

Content Standards

Staff development that improves the learning of all students	Essential Elements
prepares educators to understand and appreciate all students, create safe, orderly, and supportive learning environment, and hold high expectations for their academic achievement.	Demonstrating respect and understanding Student learning needs High expectations for all students
deepens educators' knowledge, provides them with research-based instructional strategies to assist students in meeting rigorous academic standards, and prepares them to appropriately use various types of classroom assessments.	Alignment of curriculum, instruction, and assessment Meeting individual student needs Deepen content knowledge
Provides educators with knowledge and skills to appropriately involve families and other stakeholders	Communication with families Cultural understanding and respect Community commitment

Learn more about the NSDC standards for professional development at http://www.nsdc.org/standards/. For information on how the standards relate to online learning, download NSDC's book "E-Learning for Educators: Implementing the Standards for Staff Development" http://www.nsdc.org/library/authors/e-learning.pdf .