DECEMBER 5 2019 MICROCREDENTIALS VERNA LALBEHARIE 1 About

DECEMBER 5, 2019 MICRO-CREDENTIALS VERNA LALBEHARIE 1

About AIR • Established in 1946 • Independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization • Conducts behavioral and social science research • Applies research and evidence to improve policy, practice, and systems change both domestically and internationally • Focus areas are education, health, and workforce • Operates more than 20 federal or foundation-funded centers AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH | AIR. ORG 2

Problems With Professional Learning for Teachers one size fits all 6%– 9% school budgets spent on PD $50 B spent annually 20% satisfaction 100 M hours PD “The Mirage, ” TNTP, 2015; “Learning Is Not a Spectator Sport, ” Carnegie Mellon University, 2015; “Teachers Know Best: Teachers’ Views on Professional Development, ” Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, 2015 AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH | AIR. ORG 3

What Are Micro-Credentials? A micro form of certification indicating that an educator has demonstrated application of a specific competency. AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH | AIR. ORG 4

What Are Micro-Credentials? What they are: What they are NOT: ✔ Competency-based ✖ Seat-time based ✔ Personalized, self-directed ✖ One size fits all ✔ Demonstration of new or existing expertise ✖ Separate from teachers’ classroom contexts ✔ Available on demand ✖ Available only at set times ✔ Job embedded ✖ Traditional online course or class ✔ Learning by doing and applying ✖ Learning by absorbing information AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH | AIR. ORG 5

Why Micro-Credentials? Grounded in the authentic application of skills/competencies Fosters evidence-based professional learning Focuses on specific skills for each educator; facilitating differentiation and personalization for teachers Supports self-paced professional learning system Reduces cost AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH | AIR. ORG 6

Foundations of Micro-Credentials in Research Cycle of Inquiry Bryk et al. , 2011; Coalition of Essential Schools, 1999; Cushman, 1999; Tichnor-Wagner et al. , 2017 The discipline of analyzing, reflecting, and documenting is the key to change and improvement. Portfolio. Based Learning Job-embedded Chung, 2008; National Staff Development Council, 2010; Sato, Wei, & Darling Hammond, 2008 professional development constitutes a powerful lever to advance student learning. AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH | AIR. ORG Job-Embedded Supports Teachers develop expertise as members of collaborative, interdisciplinary teams with common goals for student learning. Harwell, D’Amico, Stein, & Gatti, 2000; Hill et al. , 2010; National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality, 2011; Putnam & Borko, 2000 Rigorous Evaluation and Assessment Feedback on classroom practice may lead to improvements in teacher performance and student achievement. Garet et al. , 2001; Institute of Education Sciences, 2010; Le. Breton & Sentor, 2008; Nunnally & Bernstein, 1994 7

Micro-Credential Use Cases Promote authentic in-service teacher professional learning Support educator talent management systems: • Alternative licensure/lateral entry • Renewal licensure • Specialized endorsements • Teacher leaders AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH | AIR. ORG 8

Micro-Credentials Can Support Talent Development https: //gtlcenter. org/sites/default/files/14 -2591_GTL_Talent_Dev_Framework-ed_110714. pdf. AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH | AIR. ORG 9

AIR’s Micro-Credential Work Examples: Create micro-credentials • Teaching students with special needs • Trauma-informed care • Employability skills Provide content for microcredentials • Leadership for equity • School climate and safety • Mathematics instruction Currently K– 12 focus with cross-sector potential AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH | AIR. ORG • Computer science 10

AIR’s Micro-Credential Work • Offer technical assistance and capacity-building services to organizations who want to implement micro-credentialing as part of a larger systems change or as a supplement/complement to existing systems at the state or local level. • Conduct program evaluation or research studies focused on the implementation, impact, and efficacy of micro-credentials. AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH | AIR. ORG 11

Resources/Lessons Learned AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH | AIR. ORG 12

VERNA LALBEHARIE MANAGING DIRECTOR VLALBEHARIE@AIR. ORG 202 -642 -0815 TWITTER. COM/@VLALBEHARIE Copyright © 2019 American Institutes for Research. All rights reserved. 13

References • Archibald, S. , Coggshall, J. , Croft, A. , & Goe, L. (2011). High-quality professional development for all teachers: Effectively allocating resources. National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality. Retrieved from https: //gtlcenter. org/sites/default/files/docs/High. Quality. Professional. Development. pdf • Bryk, A. S. , Gomez, L. M. , & Grunow, A. (2011). Getting ideas into action: Building networked improvement communities in education. In M. T. Hallinan (Ed. ), Frontiers in sociology of education (pp. 127– 162). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer. • Chung, R. R. (2008). Beyond assessment: Performance assessments in teacher education. Teacher Education Quarterly, 35(1), 7– 28. • Cushman, K. (1999). The cycle of inquiry and action: Essential learning communities. Old Horace, 15(4), 5– 17. • Garet, M. S. , Porter, A. C. , Desimone, L. , Birman, B. F. , & Yoon, K. S. (2001). What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 915– 945. • Harwell, M. , D’Amico, L. , Stein, M. K. , & Gatti, G. (2000, February 15). Professional development and the achievement gap in Community School District #2. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA. Retrieved January 26, 2011, from http: //www. lrdc. pitt. edu/hplc/Publications/Achievement%20 III. PDF AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH | AIR. ORG 14

References • Hill, D. , Stumbo, C. , Paliokas, K. , Hansen, D. , & Mc. Walters, P. (2010). State policy implications of the Model Core Teaching Standards (In. TASC draft discussion document). Washington, DC: Council of Chief State School Officers. Retrieved January 26, 2011, from http: //www. ccsso. org/ Documents/2010/State_Policy_Implications_Model_Core_Teaching_DRAFT_DISCUSSION_ DOCUMENT_2010. pdf • Le. Breton, J. M. , & Senator, J. L. (2008). Answers to 20 questions about interrater reliability and interrater agreement. Organizational Research Methods, 11(4), 815– 852. • National Staff Development Council. (2010). NSDC’s definition of professional development [Website]. Retrieved March 17, 2010, from http: //nsdc. org/standfor/definition. cfm • Nunnally, J. C. , & Bernstein. I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory (3 rd ed. ). New York: Mc. Graw-Hill. AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH | AIR. ORG 15

References • Putnam, R. T. , & Borko, H. (2000). What do new views of knowledge and thinking have to say about research on teacher learning? Educational Researcher, 29(1), 4– 15. • Sato, M. , Wei, R. C. , & Darling-Hammond, L. (2008). Improving teachers’ assessment practices through professional development: The case of national board certification. American Educational Research Journal, 45(3), 669– 700. • Tichnor-Wagner, A. , Wachen, J. , Cannata, M. , & Cohen-Vogel, L. (2017). Continuous improvement in the public school context: Understanding how educators respond to plan–do–study–act cycles. Journal of Educational Change, 18, 1– 30. AMERICAN INSTITUTES FOR RESEARCH | AIR. ORG 16