Alternate PL- Call to Action

The Alternate PL – Call to Action assignment required me to critically examine current professional learning practices and develop a persuasive presentation that advocates for a more effective model. Rather than simply creating a professional learning plan, the focus of this assignment was to clearly communicate why a shift is necessary. Using research, course readings, and personal experience, I was expected to construct a compelling call to action that addressed the limitations of traditional “sit and get” professional development and emphasized the need for a more intentional, ongoing approach. The assignment also required alignment with key principles of effective professional learning, including extended duration, ongoing support, active engagement, leader modeling, and subject-specific learning, while incorporating Duarte’s presentation structure to strengthen the overall message and impact.

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For this assignment, I created a presentation that challenges the effectiveness of traditional professional learning and highlights the disconnect between training and classroom implementation. I intentionally structured the presentation to move from the current reality to what is possible, emphasizing not just the problem, but what is at stake if change does not occur. Drawing from both research and my own experience as a special education teacher, I focused on the idea that professional learning often fails, not because of a lack of effort, but because of a lack of sustained support and accountability. I integrated the five key principles throughout the presentation, ensuring that each was clearly connected to real-world application rather than presented as isolated concepts.

Additionally, I was intentional in designing the presentation to be clear, concise, and impactful, allowing the message to take priority over excessive content or design elements.

This assignment pushed me to shift my thinking from simply participating in professional learning to actively evaluating and advocating for its effectiveness. One of the most significant takeaways for me was recognizing that professional learning must be viewed as a process rather than an event. In my own experience, I have seen how strategies introduced in training often do not make it into daily practice without ongoing support. This project helped me connect that experience to research and gave me the language and framework to articulate why that gap exists. The connection can be found within my reflection video. It also challenged me to think more like a leader by considering how to influence others and communicate the need for change in a way that is both clear and persuasive.

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Moving forward, I see this work as more than just an assignment. It serves as a foundation for how I will approach professional learning within my own campus and beyond. I am more aware of the importance of implementation, support, and intentional design, and I am better equipped to advocate for practices that lead to meaningful change. This experience reinforced the idea that improving instruction is not just about introducing new strategies, but about ensuring that those strategies are supported, sustained, and effectively integrated into classroom practice.

The presentation and supporting materials I created for this assignment are embedded below.

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Presentation with Call to Action--> HERE

Reflection Video--> HERE

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References 

Bates, A. W. (2019). Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning (2nd ed.). Tony Bates Associates. https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/

Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute.
https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/effective-teacher-professional-development-report

Dufour, R., Dufour, R., Eaker, R., & Many, T. (2016). Learning by doing: A handbook for professional learning communities at work (3rd ed.). Solution Tree Press.

Fixsen, D. L., Naoom, S. F., Blase, K. A., Friedman, R. M., & Wallace, F. (2005). Implementation research: A synthesis of the literature. University of South Florida.

Gulamhussein, A. (2013). Teaching the teachers: Effective professional development in an era of high stakes accountability. National School Boards Association.

Harapnuik, D. (2016). Why I don’t use checklists, progress bars, & other activity monitors.
http://www.harapnuik.org/?p=8314

Harapnuik, D., Thibodeaux, T., & Cummings, C. (2018). Creating significant learning environments (CSLE). Lamar University.

Hattie, J. (2012). Visible learning for teachers: Maximizing impact on learning. Routledge.

Stevens, C. C. (2015). The lies about truth. HarperCollins.

TNTP. (2015). The mirage: Confronting the hard truth about our quest for teacher development.
https://tntp.org/publications/view/the-mirage

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.