View in EDS

Effective Teacher Professional Development: New Theory and a Meta-Analytic Test

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Effective Teacher Professional Development: New Theory and a Meta-Analytic Test
Language: English
Authors: Sam Sims (ORCID 0000-0002-5585-8202), Harry Fletcher-Wood, Alison O'Mara-Eves (ORCID 0000-0002-0359-6423), Sarah Cottingham, Claire Stansfield, Josh Goodrich, Jo Van Herwegen, Jake Anders (ORCID 0000-0003-0930-2884)
Source: Review of Educational Research. 2025 95(2):213-254.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 42
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Information Analyses
Descriptors: Faculty Development, Theories, Educational Change, Teacher Motivation, Educational Practices, Intervention, Program Effectiveness, Educational Research, Academic Achievement, Student Improvement
DOI: 10.3102/00346543231217480
ISSN: 0034-6543
1935-1046
Abstract: Multiple meta-analyses have now documented small positive effects of teacher professional development (PD) on pupil test scores. However, the field lacks any validated explanatory account of what differentiates more from less effective in-service training. As a result, researchers have little in the way of advice for those tasked with designing or commissioning better PD. We set out to remedy this by developing a new theory of effective PD based on combinations of causally active components targeted at developing teachers' insights, motivating change, developing teaching techniques, and then embedding these changes in teachers' practice. We test two important implications of the theory using data identified through a systematic review and meta-analysis of 104 randomized controlled trials, finding qualified empirical support for the theory. The main contribution of the article is to provide a testable theory of what makes PD more effective, which can be used to guide future empirical research on this topic.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1470831
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1470831
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Effective Teacher Professional Development: New Theory and a Meta-Analytic Test
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sam+Sims%22">Sam Sims</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5585-8202">0000-0002-5585-8202</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Harry+Fletcher-Wood%22">Harry Fletcher-Wood</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alison+O'Mara-Eves%22">Alison O'Mara-Eves</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0359-6423">0000-0002-0359-6423</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sarah+Cottingham%22">Sarah Cottingham</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Claire+Stansfield%22">Claire Stansfield</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Josh+Goodrich%22">Josh Goodrich</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jo+Van+Herwegen%22">Jo Van Herwegen</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jake+Anders%22">Jake Anders</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0930-2884">0000-0003-0930-2884</externalLink>)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Review+of+Educational+Research%22"><i>Review of Educational Research</i></searchLink>. 2025 95(2):213-254.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 42
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Information Analyses
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Faculty+Development%22">Faculty Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Theories%22">Theories</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Change%22">Educational Change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Motivation%22">Teacher Motivation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Practices%22">Educational Practices</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intervention%22">Intervention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Effectiveness%22">Program Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Research%22">Educational Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Achievement%22">Academic Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Improvement%22">Student Improvement</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.3102/00346543231217480
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0034-6543<br />1935-1046
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Multiple meta-analyses have now documented small positive effects of teacher professional development (PD) on pupil test scores. However, the field lacks any validated explanatory account of what differentiates more from less effective in-service training. As a result, researchers have little in the way of advice for those tasked with designing or commissioning better PD. We set out to remedy this by developing a new theory of effective PD based on combinations of causally active components targeted at developing teachers' insights, motivating change, developing teaching techniques, and then embedding these changes in teachers' practice. We test two important implications of the theory using data identified through a systematic review and meta-analysis of 104 randomized controlled trials, finding qualified empirical support for the theory. The main contribution of the article is to provide a testable theory of what makes PD more effective, which can be used to guide future empirical research on this topic.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1470831
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1470831
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.3102/00346543231217480
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 42
        StartPage: 213
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Faculty Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Theories
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Change
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Motivation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Practices
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intervention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Improvement
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Effective Teacher Professional Development: New Theory and a Meta-Analytic Test
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Sam Sims
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Harry Fletcher-Wood
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Alison O'Mara-Eves
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Sarah Cottingham
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Claire Stansfield
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Josh Goodrich
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Jo Van Herwegen
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Jake Anders
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 04
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0034-6543
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 1935-1046
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 95
            – Type: issue
              Value: 2
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Review of Educational Research
              Type: main
ResultId 1