Evaluating Professional Learning
- Thomas R. Guskey - University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
A Joint Publication with Learning Forward
Transform your professional learning programs with proven evaluation strategies that drive real results!
Professional learning is more important than ever, yet many programs fail to deliver meaningful improvements in teaching practice or student outcomes. This comprehensive guide addresses the urgent need for effective evaluation methods that can transform how educators approach professional learning. Drawing from 25 years of field feedback and the latest research, this updated edition provides practical frameworks for assessing professional learning across five critical levels: participant reactions, participant learning, organizational support and change, implementation, and improved student outcomes.
Building on the foundation that made the first edition a landmark resource cited in over 7,000 scholarly articles, this second edition offers educators and school leaders the tools they need to design, implement, and evaluate professional learning that actually works.
Key features include:
- Streamlined, practical guidance that focuses on utility and ease of implementation rather than academic theory
- An updated research base reflecting the latest findings in professional learning effectiveness
- A five-level evaluation framework that connects professional learning directly to student learning outcomes
- Guidance for using AI tools to gather evaluation data and meaningfully analyze results
- Real-world examples and case studies demonstrating successful evaluation strategies across diverse educational contexts
- Reflection questions and resources at the end of each chapter to support immediate application
Whether you're a teacher leader, school leader, or professional learning coordinator, this book will help you move beyond professional learning that merely satisfies participants to programs that transform educational practice and demonstrably improve student learning.